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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and the Greater Than AIDS initiative are working with health departments and local AIDS service organizations (ASOs) to offer free HIV testing and counseling about new prevention strategies.
The drug chain said Tuesday that testing will be held at Walgreens drug stores in 150 cities from June 23 to 25. Alere North America, bioLytical Laboratories and OraSure have donated test kits for the activation, and results will be provided on-site by trained counselors.
“We are fortunate to have a strong presence in — and close relationship with — communities across America, making us uniquely suited to serve those living with HIV or at risk of being exposed to HIV,” Richard Ashworth, president of pharmacy and retail operations for Walgreens, said in a statement.
An informational guide from Greater Than AIDS and Walgreens, titled “I Got Tested: What’s Next?” and available in English and Spanish, will be distributed at hundreds of HIV-specialized pharmacies and via local partners in June. The guide includes information about the benefits of early treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a prevention strategy that counselors also are available to discuss at the testings.
PrEP is available by prescription to help people who are HIV-negative stay that way. When taken as prescribed, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90%, according to Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS, which added that condoms should be used for added protection.
“HIV is still a real and serious disease. But with the right treatment and care, people living with HIV can expect to live as long as the average person,” stated Glen Pietrandoni, pharmacist and senior director of virology, specialty products and services at Walgreens. “So it’s important to take control of your health by getting a test and learning your status. If negative, there are now prevention options like PrEP, which can help prevent you from getting HIV if you are exposed to the virus. If positive, getting into care early makes a big difference in the long run.”
A list of participating Walgreens stores and supporting partners, as well as more information about HIV testing, including year-round testing sites, is available online at GreaterThan.org/walgreens. The testing is being offered from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on June 23 and 24 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 25.
The free tests come in the lead-up to National HIV Testing Day on June 27. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that all Americans be screened for HIV as a part of routine health care, many have never been tested or aren’t being tested as often as recommended. According to national surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 43% of Americans report never having been tested, and another 37% say they haven’t been tested in a year or longer.
“This month marks 35 years since the first case of HIV. We’ve come a long way, but getting tested is a critical first step in staying healthy regardless of status,” said Tina Hoff, senior vice president and director of health communication and media partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The foundation leads Greater Than AIDS, a national public information response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Greater Than AIDS said that since 2011 it has partnered Walgreens to enable free HIV testing in the days leading up to National HIV Testing Day. Overall, more than 30,000 HIV tests have been administered at Walgreens/Greater Than AIDS-sponsored testing events.
