Herpes Cure Advocacy

What it reported doing in 2024

Herpes cure advocacy (hca), founded in march 2022, is a grass roots, volunteer-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to tackling one of the world's most prevalent but under-addressed infections caused by herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (hsv-1 & hsv-2). Established as a 501(c)(3), the organization envisions a future free from the burden of herpes, where infection, transmission, stigma and related complications are significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. Hca's mission is to support the cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of herpes infections. The organization accomplishes this through accelerating research, drug and test development, education, policy, and grassroots advocacy. Herpes cure advocacy has successfully elevated herpes onto the u.s. Public and personal health care agenda by helping develop and promote a national strategy and strategic plan for cure, treatment, and prevention of herpes. Hca's advocacy efforts catalyzed a joint cdc/nih herpes research workshop in 2022 and the cdc issuing requests for applications (rfas) for improved hsv testing. In 2023, the national institutes of health (nih) convened a multi-council working group on herpes, marking a new level of institutional coordination. Nih released its strategic plan for herpes simplex virus (hsv) research on september 19, 2023. The plan, titled the 2023-2028 nih strategic plan for herpes simplex virus research, is led by the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases (niaid). Alongside these successes, hca has built a global grassroots movement, mobilized patient, scientist and policy maker voices, and helped reduce stigma through education and community engagement. In late 2024, the u.s. Department of health and human services (hhs) published the first and groundbreaking hsv addendum to the sexually transmitted infections (sti) national strategic plan. The organization's work spans several key areas. First, hca is committed to advancing research and accelerating the development of potential cures, preventive measures including vaccines, and improved testing and therapeutics. Since 2022 hca has published two herpes cure pipeline releases and reported on promising pre-clinical research and clinical trials for new therapies to treat hsv. Because there is no current cure for herpes and existing treatments only partially manage symptoms and reduce transmission risk, hca prioritizes efforts that help promising therapies move from the laboratory into clinical trials. Hca advocates for the development of better diagnostic tools. Current testing technologies can be inaccurate and are under researched, with limited data examining screening benefits, making it difficult for individuals to know their infection status and prevent transmission. By pushing for more reliable and accessible diagnostic solutions, hca seeks to close one of the biggest gaps in the public and personal health response to herpes. Policy and advocacy are also central pillars of hca's mission. The organization engages with lawmakers, public health officials, researchers and regulatory agencies to elevate herpes on the public and personal health agenda, addresses funding priorities, and promotes coordinated national strategies. These advocacy efforts are reinforced by an equally important focus on education and improving clinical care. To this end, hca operates monthly educational programs for patients and professionals. In 2024 and 2025, hca partnered with the HIV vaccine trials network (hvtn) organization to lead a series of scientific talks on hsv for a national audience. The importance of hca's work cannot be overstated. Herpes is highly prevalent worldwide, yet its burden is often underestimated because many infections are asymptomatic or misdiagnosed. Beyond painful outbreaks, herpes can lead to severe complications such as neonatal herpes, encephalitis, or increased vulnerability to other important health conditions. Research has also identified potential associatio

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 16.2%; rating input score 16
• Program expense ratio: 37.4%; rating input score 37

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 56.7%; rating input score 95; 95th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.64; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: Limited
• Asset growth: Limited