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The 1917 PrEP Clinic is available to provide Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV-negative individuals to reduce their risk of acquiring HIV. Read on for more information or call Michael Fordham, PrEP Clinic Manager, at 205-975-0840 to get started.

What is PrEP? PrEP is a new HIV prevention method that involves HIV-negative people taking anti-HIV medications to help prevent HIV infection. Several studies have shown that PrEP can reduce the risk of becoming HIV-infected when taken as part of a package of prevention services. These studies showed that PrEP was safe and effective for people over 18 years old who are sexually active. There are three different products that are currently FDA approved for use as PrEP. These are Truvada (or generic), Descovy, and Apretude. If you decide to get on PrEP, you will talk with your doctor about which of these three products is best for you.

Who should consider PrEP? HIV-negative Individuals may want to consider PrEP as a part of their HIV prevention plan if they...

  • Are a man who has sex with men and have sex without a condom,
  • Are in a sexual relationship with someone who is HIV-positive,
  • Ever have sex for money, food, drugs, housing, etc.,
  • Are a woman who is trying to get pregnant with a partner who is HIV-positive,
  • Have sex while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs,
  • Have sex with multiple partners of unknown or positive HIV status,
  • Have sex without a condom when you are the receptive sexual partner.

How does the 1917 PrEP Clinic work? Interested individuals should call the 1917 PrEP Clinic Manager, Michael, (205-975-0840), to determine if they are able to participate in 1917 PrEP Clinic. After eligibility is determined, an orientation visit will be set up to talk more about the clinic, confirm HIV-negative status, and draw labs. Once enrolled, clients will visit the clinic on a Friday once every three months at 1:00 PM to get new prescriptions. At these visits, clients will have labs drawn, see a provider, and receive prevention materials including condoms and informational brochures.

How Can I Pay for Prep? Most insurance companies will cover PrEP but...

  • If you have a high copay: Gilead, the company that manufactures Truvada and Descovy, has a copay assistance program that can help. Call 1-877-505-6986 or visit http://www.gileadcopay.com/ to find out if you're eligible.
  • If you are uninsured: Some clinics can offer assistance programs to help cover the cost of your visits, labs, and medications. While the 1917 Clinic isn't equipped to do this yet, our team can help you find a location that makes PrEP affordable for you. 

Interested? Contact PrEP Clinic Manager Michael Fordham at 205-975-0840 for more information and to see if the 1917 PrEP Clinic is a good match for you.

Study Participation
The PrEP Clinic at 1917 is not a research study, but we work closely with the Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic. The AVRC is committed to the development and study of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases of local and global significance. They have conducted HIV vaccine trials, COVID vaccine trials, and even seasonal flu vaccine trials. There's always something new at the AVRC and plenty of ways to volunteer and give back. Check them out!


Additional PrEP Resources
https://pleaseprepme.org/

http://www.prepfacts.org

http://www.whatisprep.org

http://myprepexperience.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PrEPFacts/

http://www.prepwatch.org/

http://www.avac.org/prep/

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/prevention/research/prep/