.png)
ASHwell (Austin Sexual Health and Wellness) is now offering free access to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and HIV services in San Marcos. ASHwell will be set up each Sunday from noon to 3:30 p.m. at Community Health Services, 611 Martin Luther King Drive in San Marcos.
PrEP is an FDA approved form of HIV prevention that is taken every day and can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout the body, before possible exposure to HIV. According to the CDC, when taken daily, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent. PEP is an emergency option to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, within 72 hours of possible exposure.
Access to PrEP involves getting an HIV test and a check of liver and kidney functions. STI screening and consultation are also part of the process. Patients have the option of having prescriptions mailed to them or they can pick it up at a pharmacy of their choice.
“PrEP has been a valuable tool in combatting HIV but it also gives each person a greater peace of mind and is the first step in taking greater control over one’s sexual health,” Jeremy von Stilb, marketing specialist at ASHwell, said “San Marcos has a large student population and right now, younger men are still the most at-risk group for HIV.”
Illustration by Beth Comics courtesy of ASHwell
For more information, visit ASHwell at the Stonewall Warehouse Fifth Anniversary celebration on Saturday, Dec. 7. There will be a special drag showcase featuring Louisianna Purchase from The Boulet Brothers Dragula Season 3 and Austin Chronicle’s best drag performer for four consecutive years. The show begins at 11:30 p.m.
Call 512-467-0088 to schedule an appointment. A 24-hour line available at 737-231-1150. Walk-ins are available for PEP only.
Last week, a federal program called Ready, Set, PrEP was unveiled. The plan will distribute HIV prevention medication free to 200,000 uninsured individuals. More information about the federal program is available at getyourprep.com. ASHwell provides the services at zero out-of-pocket cost regardless of insurance enrollment.
