SAN FRANCISO: Supervisors Create Fund To Educate Residents About PrEP

Via Mission Local:

In a 10 to 1 vote, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed legislation to allocate $301,600 from the city’s general fund toward educating San Francisco residents about the HIV-prevention pill Truvada. Now “health navigators,” who will be commissioned by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, will help patients access the drug — whether they have private insurance, Medi-Cal or patient assistance programs through the drug’s manufacturer. Supervisor David Campos, co-author of the legislation, asked for his colleagues’ support, adding, “San Francisco is already a sanctuary city, so let’s please make it a sanctuary city from HIV.” HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. With the passage of the legislation, the San Francisco Supervisors have initiated their plan to help eliminate new cases of HIV in the city by making the health navigators more culturally competent as well. Truvada is an antiviral medication that is taken once-daily in order to prevent new HIV infections in those at highest risk of contracting the disease.

(Tipped by JMG reader Eric)