The national HIV prevention program Ready, Set PrEP now allows enrollees to have their pre-exposure prophylaxis meds delivered by mail. The PrEP tablets can be delivered to a location of their choice, such as a home or nearby pharmacy.

More than 32,000 pharmacies participate in the program, according to a blog post on HIV.gov. The mail-order option is especially important to people who don’t have a regular health care provider or don’t live near one. As the blog post explains:

The option of having PrEP delivered to a preferred location is not only convenient for participants, but it also allows Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, Tribal Health Programs, and Urban Indian Organizations to provide “one stop shopping” for potential enrollees. They can now get tested, receive their PrEP prescription and get the prescription sent via mail in one visit by enrolling with a health care provider’s assistance through GetYourPrEP.com or the call center by calling 855-447-8410.

Ready, Set, PrEP makes the daily HIV prevention meds available at no charge. Enrollees must lack prescription drug coverage, be HIV negative and have a prescription for PrEP. To find a provider and see whether PrEP is right for you, visit GetYourPrEP.com.

The Department of Health and Human Services oversees the national PrEP program. As POZ reported last summer, pharmacies at Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and Albertsons Companies are donating their dispensing services to people in the federal HIV prevention program.

Did you know that as of this year, health insurers are required to cover PrEP without out-of-pocket expenses such as co-payments or deductibles? For more, read “Why More Health Insurers Will Soon Cover PrEP for HIV Prevention.”

In the United States, PrEP is available as the daily tablets Truvada and Descovy; both are manufactured by Gilead Sciences and consist of two meds. A generic version of Truvada became available in fall 2020. To learn more, see “What’s the Difference Between Truvada and Descovy for PrEP?” and “Prevention: Generic Truvada.” For more general information, see the POZ Basics on HIV Prevention.

Scientists estimate PrEP to be about 99% effective among men who have sex with men and 88% to 90% effective among heterosexual men and women (though researchers believe the latter number is likely higher). For more details, see “How Well Do U=U and PrEP Work? The CDC Updates Its Answers.”

The Ready, Set PrEP program is a cornerstone of a national initiative Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America. Launched in 2019, it’s a 10-year federal plan to lower new HIV rates 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030. This would amount to fewer than 3,000 HIV cases a year.

To learn more about the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, read an overview at HIV.gov and visit the official webpage at HRSA.org. For a related POZ article, see “Plans to End the HIV Epidemic at Home and Abroad.”