Deerfield-based Walgreens announced on July 10 that providers at Walgreens Healthcare Clinics in select markets would soon be able to provide patients with consultations and prescriptions for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP. Chicago is currently not among the markets in question, which include Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tucson, Washington, D.C., and Wichita.
The PrEP intervention, most widely available as the oral medication Truvada, has been shown to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection by over 90 percent.
Pat Carroll, MD, chief medical officer of Walgreens Healthcare Clinics, said in a statement that the program was expanded after a pilot program in the Houston area. The wider rollout officially begins July 13.
Patients will be screened for HIV and other STIs, and, upon review of their test results, receive a PrEP prescription if necessary.
“As we continue to help improve the comprehensive health and wellbeing of our patients, while also supporting communities across the nation that are impacted by HIV, we are looking forward to rolling out our prevention initiative more broadly,” added Carroll.