Source: businesswire.com
HIV testing is recommended as part of routine health care, yet many Americans are not being tested as often as advised. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in seven people living with HIV in the U.S. today are unaware of their status.
“Walgreens continues to support HIV testing since it is a critical first step in developing effective prevention and care strategies, regardless of status,” said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director, patient care and advocacy, Walgreens. “With more than 3,000 HIV-trained Walgreens pharmacists in communities across the nation, we can uniquely support HIV testing, education and care, working towards an end to HIV/AIDS.”
In addition to offering on-site free and fast HIV testing, counselors from local agencies will answer questions about HIV prevention and treatment options, including PrEP. No appointment is required.
The use of antiretroviral (ARV) medications to prevent HIV transmission, as well as PrEP, a daily pill to protect against HIV, offer new pathways to ending HIV. Based on the strength of the scientific advances, the White House and many states have set ambitious goals of significantly reducing HIV infections over the next decade.
“Public knowledge has not always kept up with the science,” said Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President and Director of Health Communications and Media Partnerships at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). “Public-private partnerships like this help to close the knowledge gaps about HIV and connect people with services in their communities to get the care they need.”
According to a recent national survey by KFF, which runs Greater Than AIDS, fewer than half of Americans know about PrEP, and many understate the health and preventative benefits of HIV treatment.
The National HIV Testing Day community partnership is part of an ongoing commitment by Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS to extend the reach of HIV testing and information to non-traditional settings and support the outreach of local agencies. More than 48,000 free HIV tests have been provided since 2011 as part of the annual event.
BioLytical Laboratories, Chembio Diagnostics, and OraSure Technologies, Inc. are contributing donated test kits and Abbott Rapid Diagnostics is providing support for outreach for the 2019 activation.
For a complete list of participating Walgreens locations and supporting partners for this year’s National HIV Testing Day, as well as additional information about HIV testing, including year-round testing sites, visit www.greaterthan.org/walgreens.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8 million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. As of Aug. 31, 2018, Walgreens operates 9,560 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with its omni-channel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.
About Greater Than AIDS
Greater Than AIDS is a leading national public information response from KFF focused on communities most affected. Through targeted media messages and community outreach, Greater Than AIDS and its partners works to increase knowledge, reduce stigma and promote actions to stem the spread of the disease.
About Kaiser Family Foundation
Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, KFF (the Kaiser Family Foundation) is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.