Heath professionals, dignitaries, and special guests gathered at the California African American Museum (CAAM) on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 for the launch of the “Sister Friends” video series for HIV awareness, informing women about a pill that can help stop the spread of the virus.
Spearheaded by Dr. Leo Moore, a clinical scholar and acting medical director of the Division of HIV and STD Programs at the L.A. County Department of Public Health, the campaign is titled “Sister Friends: Get PrEP’d.” The campaign hopes to increase the awareness and use of the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (or PrEP) pill among women who are at-risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In Los Angeles County, women living with HIV are predominantly African American (35.4 percent) or Latina/Hispanic (44.8 percent), along with an estimated 30 percent of transgender women, living with the virus.
Like a birth control pill, PrEP is a daily medicine that can prevent HIV infection for HIV-negative individuals who are at risk of being exposed to the virus. Although it is not a vaccine or a cure for HIV, PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by as much as 99 percent if taken daily as prescribed.
For the “Sister Friends” video series, L.A. County tapped Daytime Emmy winner and co-host of “The Real,” Loni Love as well as Alicia Machado (Miss Universe 1996) and actress Alexandra Grey (“Transparent” and “Glee”).
For many women, PrEP can be invaluable in staying healthy and HIV-negative when they have a partner who is HIV-positive. The PrEP pill has been shown to be safe for women to use while attempting to get pregnant and during pregnancy, as well as breastfeeding. Most insurance plans, including Medi-Cal, cover the cost of PrEP.
To watch the videos and learn more about how to “Get PrEP’d, visit www.getPrEPLA.com/women. A full directory of PrEP providers is available at www.GetPrEPLA.com.
