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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and OraSure Technologies Inc., a provider of point-of-care diagnostic tests and specimen collection devices, are teaming up to fight AIDS.
The companies announced several new HIV testing-related initiatives in recognition of World AIDS Day on December 1.
OraSure is working with the AIDS Institute, a national nonprofit that promotes social change through public policy, research, advocacy and education, to launch a grant program to encourage development of innovative HIV self-testing programs. In collaboration with both the institute and Walgreens, OraSure is promoting rapid HIV testing in cities across the U.S. It is also supporting numerous community testing events across the country.
Together with Walgreens, OraSure is also launching the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test Retail Access Card, available for public health organizations and advocacy groups across the U.S. to distribute to at-risk program participants. Each card will be redeemable for one OraQuick In-Home HIV Test kit at no cost, at any one of the 8,000-plus Walgreens and Duane Reade drug stores nationwide.
Initially, Walgreens and OraSure will provide the cards to Housing Works, a New York City-based public health organization for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
“The Walgreens OraQuick HIV Test Retail Access Card will allow public health entities to utilize our expansive retail network to help get in-home HIV tests into the hands of customers who need one,” said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director of patient care and advocacy at Walgreens. “In collaboration with OraSure, we are looking forward to working with Housing Works as well as other HIV/AIDS advocacy groups across the country as we continue to build on our 35-year history of community support in highly impacted communities.”
As part of OraSure’s and The AIDS Institute’s grant program, grant recipients will receive OraQuick In-Home HIV Tests in addition to financial support for program implementation. The grant is structured to encourage new providers and outreach programs to evaluate and use the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test for at-risk patients with a variety of test access methods including in-clinic, online and retail.
