Illinois makes HIV drug PrEP more available
Why it matters: Better access to the medication could reduce the risk of contraction for those most at risk — men who have sex with men and Black and Hispanic people.
Driving the news: The Illinois Department of Public Health issued an order allowing Illinoisans to obtain the medication PrEP, which can reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sex by 99% when taken correctly, directly from a pharmacist without first requiring a doctor's prescription.
Flashback: Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law in 2022 to allow access to the medication without a prescription, and any pharmacist who wants to offer the medicine must undergo a training program.
"With a large-scale change like this, we needed to ensure that the implementation would be safe, effective, and equitable. That meant engaging local health departments, advocacy groups, pharmacist associations, and sister state agencies to shape a responsible rollout," a spokesperson from IDPH told Axios in a statement.
"We also worked to identify the best ways to monitor program participation and ensure pharmacists were supported with appropriate training and guidance."
The law also specifies that services provided by a pharmacist are covered and reimbursed by insurance at the same rate as when provided by a doctor.
What they're saying: "With threats from the federal government to HIV prevention funding (the HHS draft budget proposed eliminating all — yes, all — HIV prevention funding) it's even more critical to increase the access points where people can get PrEP," AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) president John Peller tells Axios in an email.
AFC has helped implement the law across the state, including training for pharmacists and setting reimbursement rates through Medicaid.
By the numbers: Nearly 23,000 people in Illinois were living with HIV and about 19,000 living with AIDS as of December 2024, the most recent available data from IDPH.
There were more than 1,300 new diagnoses of the virus statewide in 2024, down 9% from the previous year.
Black men make up the most new cases since 2017 at more than 3,500, followed by Hispanic men at 2,700.
The 30-39 age bracket is the most common for both men and women in terms of new cases.
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Please consult the full EU Summary of Product Characteristics for all the safety information: Rekambys 600mg/900 mg prolonged-release suspension for injection About ViiV Healthcare ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GSK (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who could benefit from HIV prevention. Shionogi became a ViiV shareholder in October 2012. The company's aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV and AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV. For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit About GSK GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. 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Registered in England & Wales: GSK plc ViiV Healthcare Limited No. 3888792 No. 06876960 Registered Office: 79 New Oxford Street ViiV Healthcare Limited London GSK Medicines Research Centre WC1A 1DG Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage United Kingdom SG1 2NY View source version on Contacts MPP enquiries: Media:Gelise McCulloughgmccullough@ +41 79 685 64 36 (Geneva) ViiV Healthcare enquiries: Media:Rachel Jaikaran +44 (0) 78 2352 3755 (London)Nicola André +44 (0) 7845027166 (London)Melinda Stubbee +1 919 491 0831 (North Carolina) GSK enquiries: Media:Tim Foley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)Sarah Clements +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)Kathleen Quinn +1 202 603 5003 (Washington DC)Lyndsay Meyer +1 202 302 4595 (Washington DC)Alison Hunt +1 540 742 3391 (Washington DC) Investor Relations:Constantin Fest +44 (0) 7831 826525 (London)James Dodwell +44 (0) 20 8047 2406 (London)Mick Readey +44 (0) 7990 339653 (London)Steph Mountifield +44 (0) 7796 707505 (London)Jeff McLaughlin +1 215 751 7002 (Philadelphia)Frannie DeFranco +1 215 751 3126 (Philadelphia) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
