Although the incidence of new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has decreased in the past decade, in 2018 more than 7000 women with HIV were diagnosed in the United States (US). Globally, per recent reports, 48% of the new HIV infections were among women. There is still no vaccine to prevent HIV transmission. However, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was approved in 2012 by the Food and Drug Administration, providing a powerful tool to block HIV infection and help prevent the subsequent development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The uptake of PrEP has been slow globally and among the most vulnerable populations in the US, even though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended its use in high-risk populations, including women. Furthermore, women represent one-quarter of people living with HIV in the US; however, PrEP is underutilized in this group. Thus, it is imperative to make women’s voices heard through conducting more research, ensuring sufficient access to PrEP, and enhancing knowledge about PrEP as a viable prevention strategy for women. This article aims to promote women’s health by changing the narrative, providing key information on empowering women, and increasing the usage of PrEP.

Background: The uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has revolutionized the fight against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic. Consistent obstacles remain that have influenced the slow uptake of PrEP in the United States of America (USA). In order to address these barriers, pharmacists must be included in the dispensing and management of PrEP through collaborative pharmacy practice agreements (CPPAs). Our aim for this study was to characterize pharmacists’ perceptions of initiating PrEP through a CPPA in the state of Tennessee. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in the USA in 2021 with pharmacists practicing in Tennessee. A framework and specific questions guided the thematic analysis. The words and phrases were coded inductively and later collapsed into categories and placed into emergent themes. Results: Two themes illustrate the voices of practicing pharmacists’ integration in the dispensing and management of PrEP: (1) Learning from other states and previous successful CPPAs to advance and expand innovative models of patient care and (2) advocacy through public policy change to empower pharmacists to initiate PrEP. Conclusion: This qualitative study focused on exploring pharmacists’ perceptions on the opportunity of initiating PrEP through a CPPA in Tennessee. These findings highlight the preparedness of pharmacists to advocate for easier initiative of PrEP in pharmacies across Tennessee, whether through relaxing existing CPPA regulation or pursuing independent prescriptive authority for pharmacists.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended to prevent the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although an effective treatment, the uptake in the United States remains low. Pharmacists are well-positioned to initiate the conversation with patients about PrEP, but few studies exist exploring their unique roles. The objective of this study was to characterize Tennessee pharmacists’ perceptions about access to PrEP. A qualitative study was used to gather the data that consisted of virtual Focus Groups over four months in 2021 from practicing Tennessee pharmacists. Emails were sent to all Tennessee licensed pharmacists to recruit them to participate in the study. Recruitment continued until Thematic Saturation was obtained. The corpus of data was audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by the research team. Thematic Analysis revealed two themes: (1) Barriers to accessing PrEP; (2) Potential solutions to address barriers identified. These findings highlighted barriers and identified solutions to improve access to PrEP in Tennessee; additional financial assistance programs and marketing programs targeting patients and providers are needed to enhance PrEP access.