NEWS: Alliance for Positive Health Spotlights PrEP Awareness Week
We are smack dab in the middle of PrEP Awareness Week, which runs through October 25, and community-based organization Alliance for Positive Health is ensuring that Upstate New Yorkers are aware of convenient, virtual access to HIV prevention.
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is a prescription medicine designed to reduce the risk of acquiring sexually-transmitted HIV by 99% (when taken as prescribed, of course). But like anything else in the medical world, people may run into barriers when trying to access it — transportation, privacy concerns, and sexual health stigma, to name just a few. That’s why Alliance for Positive Health is spotlighting its partnership with QCare+, a patient-centered, telehealth platform focusing on underserved and LGBTQ+ communities.
The main thing they want you to know? It’s incredibly easy to get started. Just look at the handy graphic below!
After signing up and completing an online consultation, individuals work with a provider to determine whether PrEP is right for them. Required laboratory testing can be completed using materials mailed to their home or by visiting a local lab. Eligible prescriptions can then be delivered in discreet packaging. QCare+ states that 99% of its patients pay $0 for medical visits, laboratory testing and prescriptions, helping make preventive care more affordable. (Individual costs and eligibility may vary, as is traditionally stated in a lightning-quick delivery at the end of a television commercial.)
“We want people to know that accessing HIV prevention doesn’t have to be complicated, and that everyone deserves to explore their options in a way that feels comfortable to them,” said Kim Atkins, executive director of Alliance for Positive Health. “We understand that stigma, concerns about privacy, and past experiences with healthcare can make it difficult for some people to seek prevention services. Through our partnership with Q Care+, people can take that first step online and connect with a provider virtually, while knowing they still have the support of Alliance. It’s about meeting people where they are, removing barriers to care, and making sure everyone has the information and resources they need to protect their health.”
People interested in exploring virtual PrEP can visit Q Care Plus's Alliance for Positive Health partner page and select Alliance when signing up. For additional information about Alliance's testing and prevention services, visit allianceforpositivehealth.org.