Pharmacists to prescribe, administer HIV prevention therapy in Colorado

Starting on November 14, pharmacists in Colorado will be allowed to prescribe and dispense pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medications to state residents. More than 14,000 people are estimated to be living with HIV in Colorado; that number has been increasing over the past 5 years. Emily Zadvorny, PharmD, executive director of the Colorado Pharmacists Society (CPS), says: “Despite their effectiveness, and their strong endorsement by the CDC, USPTF (United States Preventive Services Taskforce), and other medical entities, PrEP and PEP are underused. For many in the high-risk categories, including the LGBTQ community, navigating the complex health care system to obtain PrEP/PEP is a huge barrier to access.” Studies indicate that among people who inject drugs, PrEP reduces the risk of contracting HIV by at least 74%. Research also suggests that PEP can reduce the risk of HIV infection, post exposure, by more than 80%. Colorado instituted state-wide drug therapy protocols that were evaluated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the state boards of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Jodie Malhotra, PharmD, director of Practitioner & International Development, CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, says: “One of the reasons that we have been able to move so quickly on this is because we have robust and agile pharmacy advocates, along with a close partnership with CPS. We’re already gearing up to launch a state-wide PrEP/PEP continuing education course so that pharmacists can be ready to provide the treatment as soon as the protocols are approved.” Beginning on November 1, the CU School of Pharmacy will offer the PrEP/PEP CE course as an online module, aiming to train a team of pharmacists who can begin offering the therapies as soon as the state-wide protocols go into effect on November 14.