PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT PrEP SERVICES

Linkage and Navigation services for PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a medication that when taken correctly, can be up to 99% effective in preventing HIV, has been offered to STAP clients for several years. First approved by the FDA in 2012, massive strides have been made to improve who can access and utilize this preventative medicine. In New York State, an estimated 612 people began PrEP in 2012; in 2021, that number, although potentially under-reported due to COVID, is now up to 39,801.

“I found STAP to be very helpful in connecting me with the services I was seeking. They put me in touch with great staff over at UHS and addressed all my concerns when seeking assistance in getting a prescription for PrEP. I’d highly recommend them to anyone in the area seeking similar services.”

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines of care that have impacted these services and worked to make them more accessible for all. The CDC now recommends informing all sexually active adults and adolescents of PrEP, and that providers should offer it to anyone who asks, even those that don’t report risk factors. Many providers, such as Scott Rosman and Erica Newton at UHS, now prescribe the newest form of PrEP, cabotegravir (CAB) bi-monthly long-acting injections, which may be right for those who struggle taking a daily pill or have kidney problems that prevent use of other medications. Often, providers can start a client on PrEP within the same day, organize appointments via telehealth, or even offer a PrEP “on-demand” regimen to certain clients. PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is also prescribed to those with a recent (within 72 hours) exposure to HIV, another step in decreasing recent HIV infections across the board.

Ultimately, working to decrease stigma and increase knowledge of PrEP–even in communities that may not normally hear about it– is key to continuing the battle against HIV. Major improvements must still be made in increasing who is offered PrEP– Black, Hispanic, Women and Transgender populations are all at increasingly high risk, and indeed account for the majority of whom PrEP is recommended. Yet, data shows that in 2020, Black and Hispanic/Latinx people only accounted for 9% and 16% respectively, in comparison to the 66% of White people prescribed, and that PrEP coverage was about three times higher in males than females. Regardless of areas that still require improvement, STAP continues providing care, working towards the 2030 initiative goal of 50% of people who could benefit from PrEP using it. Educating about methods of harm reduction and prevention, especially in programs such as the Syringe Exchange, Communities of Color, and the Identity Youth Center, as well as referring and linking to stigma-free and accessible providers within the area, will continue to be the centerpiece of STAP’s PrEP mission for many years to come.

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