Californians can now get HIV prevention drugs without a prescription, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Oct. 7 a policy allowing pharmacists to dispense both pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis in a way similar to dispensing birth control and emergency contraceptives.
The state's new law will also bar insurance companies from requiring prior authorization before providing HIV prevention drugs.
The law was designed to remove access barriers to HIV prevention drugs, especially for those in rural communities and among minorities who tend to have the least access.
The law will result in more than 700 people getting HIV prevention drugs and lead to 25 fewer cases of new HIV transmissions in the first year, according to a study by the California Health Benefit Review Program.
Read the full article here.