The St. Elizabeth Medication Management Clinic has launched Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services for those at higher risk of Human Immunodeficieny Virus (HIV).
PrEP is a daily HIV prevention pill that has proven highly effective for those at-risk of getting the virus.
The services are the result of a collaborative care agreement between the Medication Management Clinic and Infectious Disease physicians at St. Elizabeth which allows the pharmacists at the clinic to treat patients seeking prevention against HIV.
PrEP services provide one more way St. Elizabeth is dedicated to leading a healthier Northern Kentucky region.
With more research, U.S. Preventive Services now recommends PrEP to persons who are at high risk of HIV. With this recommendation within preventative care, many more insurance companies are covering these costs. The program also stems from the federal initiative “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” that aims to effectively eradicate HIV in the United States within the next decade.
Through the initiative, the pharmaceutical company that produces PrEP medications, agreed to donate PrEP to 200,000 individuals each year for up to 11 years making PrEP much more accessible for all.
PrEP contains two medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine) that are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV. When a person is exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, these medicines can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection.
If taken daily, studies have shown PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV — reducing the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% and among people who inject drugs by at least 74%.
To learn more or schedule an appointment about the PrEP services at St. Elizabeth, call (859) 301-6790.
