HIV Prevention

In 2025, we generated the first statewide estimate of the availability of pharmacist-initiated oral and long-acting injectable HIV PrEP in California community (retail) pharmacies. We estimated that fewer than 3% of community pharmacies offered these services. Despite the increasingly favorable policy environment in California, community pharmacists remain underutilized to advance HIV prevention efforts.

This policy brief presents findings from a mixed-methods study examining Los Angeles County pharmacy consumers’ perspectives on pharmacist-prescribed PrEP and PEP. Consumers reported high trust in pharmacists and strong willingness to use pharmacy-based HIV prevention services, but noted structural barriers such as long wait times, limited privacy, inconsistent continuity of care, and uncertainty around insurance […]

In this policy brief, we describe the impact of PBMs on community pharmacies, state and federal legislation to address PBM practices, and California pharmacists’ experience with current PBM drug reimbursement practices.

An infographic explaining what substance use modeling is and how it can inform policy in a simple, digestible way.

Una infografía que explica qué es el modelado del uso de sustancias y cómo puede informar las políticas de una manera sencilla y digerible.

Kelly et al., 2024, led by Dr. Nicole Kelly from UC San Diego with co-authors at the University of North Carolina, examines the profound impact of state and local LGBTQ+ policies on HIV prevention among young SGM people, especially Black youth. The study highlights that PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) use among young people significantly increases in regions with protective LGBTQ+ legislation, while discriminatory policies hinder access to life-saving prevention tools

Kelly et al., 2024, led by Dr. Nicole Kelly from UC San Diego with co-authors at the University of North Carolina, examines the profound impact of state and local LGBTQ+ policies on HIV prevention among young SGM people, especially Black youth. The study highlights that PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) use among young people significantly increases in regions with protective LGBTQ+ legislation, while discriminatory policies hinder access to life-saving prevention tools

Syndemic theory provides a framework for analyzing the relationship between social conditions and the co-occurrence of two or more disease states. In this brief report, we highlight major themes that emerged from qualitative interviews exploring how syndemic theory is being put into practice in HIV-related policy.

Key updates to PrEP access include recent changes to state and federal law and policy. This summary includes changes likely to affect PrEP access in California.

Findings reveal that Black transgender women accounted for 78% of all transgender women murdered in the U.S., with gun violence as the leading cause and Southern and Midwestern regions showing the highest rates of violence, linked to structural racism and anti-transgender policies.