Walgreens and KFF’s Greater Than HIV Join with Community Partners to Offer Free HIV and STD Testing at Record Number of Stores on June 27
June 11 2024 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
The collaboration is the largest National HIV
Testing Day event in the Nation
Walgreens and Greater Than HIV, a public information initiative
of KFF, are teaming up with health departments and community
organizations to offer free rapid HIV testing in more than 550
Walgreens stores on June 27 in the largest coordinated National HIV
Testing Day event.
Additionally, to address the rising rates of other sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs), free rapid syphilis and/or hepatitis C
testing will also be offered by partners this year in many
locations.
“This unique public-private partnership brings free rapid HIV
and STD testing directly to communities in a familiar setting and
connects individuals to trusted local prevention and treatment
service providers in their area,” said Tina Hoff, senior vice
president, KFF.
A list of participating Walgreens stores and hours when free HIV
and STD testing will be offered is available here; no appointment
needed. Testing is provided by local partners, in a private area of
the store or mobile unit, with results available in 20 minutes or
less. Counselors can also answer questions about HIV and STDs and
provide the latest on prevention and treatment options, including
referrals for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), FDA-approved
medications that are highly effective in preventing HIV, and other
needed care.
“This program is instrumental in reaching people in community
settings, making HIV prevention and treatment options more
equitable, accessible and convenient,” said Rick Gates, chief
pharmacy officer, Walgreens. “In addition to providing services to
help prevent and treat HIV for more than 40 years, Walgreens
invests in training its pharmacy team members to address the
specific challenges faced by people living with HIV – including
confidential medication counseling, information on prevention
options and how to apply for financial assistance programs.”
Major HIV rapid test manufacturers including Abbott
Laboratories, BioLytical Laboratories, ChemBio Diagnostics, and
OraSure Technologies donated tests to support this year’s effort.
Additionally, ChemBio Diagnostics and Diagnostics Direct donated
rapid syphilis tests.
Since 2011, KFF’s Greater Than HIV and Walgreens National HIV
Community Partnership has provided more than 82,000 free HIV tests
through the in-store NHTD program, including over 15,000 self-tests
distributed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the
14th year of the partnership and marks the highest level of
participation – both in terms of testing partners and stores – in
the program’s history.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the U.S. Retail
Pharmacy and U.S. Healthcare segments of Walgreens Boots Alliance,
Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail
leader. True to its purpose of “more joyful lives through better
health,” Walgreens has a more than 120-year heritage of caring for
communities and providing trusted pharmacy services, and today is
playing a greater role as an independent partner of choice offering
healthcare services that improve care, lower costs, and help
patients. Operating nearly 9,000 retail locations across the U.S.
and Puerto Rico, Walgreens is proud to serve nearly 9 million
customers and patients daily. The company’s pharmacists are playing
a more critical role in healthcare than ever before, providing a
wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services, including those
that drive equitable access to care for some of the nation’s most
underserved populations. Walgreens offers customers and patients a
true omnichannel experience, with fully integrated physical and
digital platforms designed to deliver high-quality products and
healthcare services. Within the U.S. Healthcare segment, Walgreens
portfolio also includes businesses in primary care,
multi-specialty, post-acute care, urgent care, specialty pharmacy
services, population health and provider enablement.
About KFF
KFF is the independent source for health policy research,
polling, and journalism. Its mission is to serve as a nonpartisan
source of information for policymakers, the media, the health
policy community, and the public.
KFF’s Greater Than HIV initiative is a leading public
information response focused on HIV in the U.S. Through localized
Greater Than HIV campaigns, KFF works with health departments and
community partners to reach those most affected and in need with
the latest on testing, prevention and treatment. This
public-private partnership model helps extend the reach of limited
resources in high need areas.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240611831552/en/
Stephanie Corcilius Walgreens media@walgreens.com
847-315-2921
Craig Palosky KFF cpalosky@kff.org 202-654-1369
Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Dec 2024 to Jan 2025
Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jan 2024 to Jan 2025