IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga Publishes New Book,
“Aftershocks: Trump 2.0, Public Health, and Our Better Angels”
New Book Examines the Systematic Dismantling of Public Health Institutions
and Calls for Collective Action to Rebuild a Stronger, More Equitable System
Washington, DC, USA (August 3, 2026) — The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) today announced the publication of “Aftershocks: Trump 2.0, Public Health, and Our Better Angels,” a new book by IAPAC President/CEO Dr. José M. Zuniga examining the profound disruption of public health systems and the urgent need for a coordinated movement to defend and ultimately rebuild them.
Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in HIV, global health, and public health policy, Dr. Zuniga chronicles the consequences of federal actions that have weakened scientific institutions, disrupted lifesaving programs, displaced skilled public servants, erased vital health information, and placed already marginalized communities at greater risk. The book situates these developments within a broader struggle over whether public health will remain grounded in science, human rights, equity, and the common good.
Although unflinching in its assessment of the damage inflicted during the second Trump administration, “Aftershocks” rejects despair. Dr. Zuniga argues that defending existing institutions and programs is essential but insufficient. Restoring an imperfect preexisting system cannot be the limits of the public health community’s ambition. Instead, he argues that the present crisis must become a catalyst for designing a more resilient, accountable, equitable, and people-centered public health future.
“My new book is both a warning and a call to action,” said Dr. Zuniga. “We must defend the people, programs, institutions, and scientific principles that are under attack, but resilience alone cannot become our long-term strategy. This moment also requires us to confront the inequities and structural weaknesses that existed long before Trump 2.0 and to organize around a bold vision for rebuilding public health. We cannot surrender to despair or retreat into nostalgia; we must summon our better angels and begin constructing a future worthy of the public’s trust.”
The book also introduces what he labels “Horizons 2028,” an organizing framework intended to move public health advocates from resistance to reconstruction. Looking towards the consequential 2028 election, Horizons 2028 calls upon public health professionals, scientists, community leaders, policymakers, journalists, advocates, and people with lived experience to develop a shared agenda that can be translated into a mandate for rebuilding.
The book carries particular relevance for the HIV response. Decades of scientific progress – including effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), treatment as prevention, U=U, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – have demonstrated what is possible when research, political commitment, community leadership, and sustained investment converge. Yet unequal access to these advances continues to perpetuate what Dr. Zuniga describes as “innovation apartheid,” while funding disruptions and policy reversals threaten hard-won gains.
For IAPAC, the book’s central message aligns with a longstanding commitment to evidence-informed, equity-based, and person-centered health systems. It also reinforces the organization’s determination to defend scientific integrity, protect access to lifesaving services, and ensure that public health policies uphold the dignity and human rights of every person.
“Public health has always been about more than controlling disease,” Dr. Zuniga added. “It is a collective promise that where people live, who they are, whom they love, or how much they earn will not determine whether they can live healthy and dignified lives. That promise is being tested. Our response must be organized, courageous, and ambitious enough not merely to recover what has been lost, but to build what should have existed all along.”
“Aftershocks: Trump 2.0, Public Health, and Our Better Angels” is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers. A percentage of book sales proceeds will be donated to IAPAC, the Fast-Track Cities Institute, and Fast-Track Health.
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About the Author
Dr. José M. Zuniga is President/CEO of the IAPAC, the Fast-Track Cities Institute, and Fast-Track Health. For nearly four decades, he has worked at the intersection of HIV, public health, urban health, human rights, and health policy. He was Chair of the IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission on the Future of Urban HIV Responses and is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Fast-Track Health. His 4th edited Oxford University Press volume, “AIDS at a Crossroads,” will be released next month. His work has focused on translating scientific evidence into policies and programs that improve health outcomes, reduce inequities, and strengthen community-centered health systems.
About IAPAC
IAPAC is a global medical association representing more than 30,000 clinicians and allied health professionals working to end the HIV pandemic and address its related health challenges. Since 1985, IAPAC has advanced evidence-informed, equity-based, and person-centered approaches to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and long-term care. IAPAC also provides technical leadership to the global 600+ Fast-Track Cities network and works with governments, health systems, communities, and other partners to improve health and quality of life for people living with and affected by HIV.
