Episode Notes

With 95% of Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy, community pharmacists represent one of our most accessible healthcare resources. In this episode, Dr. Kimberly Eck sits down with implementation scientist Dr. Natalie Crawford to discuss breaking down structural barriers in HIV prevention. Dr. Crawford examines stark racial disparities in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) usage, where despite representing a majority of new diagnoses in the South, only 13% of Black individuals who need PrEP are currently prescribed it, compared to over 90% of White individuals.

Dr. Crawford details Georgia's Senate Bill 195, which empowers trained pharmacists to prescribe PrEP directly without a prior physician visit. Through the Rx for Change partnership, her CORE lab works alongside community organizations using a "train-the-trainer" model to educate local pharmacists on sexual health advisory, stigma reduction, and direct prescribing protocols.

Key Takeaways:

• Pharmacies as Stigma-Reducing Spaces: Utilizing neutral retail environments to increase access to HIV prevention and screening.
• Bridging the Implementation Chasm: Why passing state legislation is only the first step and how community organizations are training pharmacists to utilize their new prescribing authority.
• Lessons from COVID-19: Recognizing the proven capacity of pharmacists as front-line public health providers.

Resources:

• View Dr. Natalie Crawford’s faculty profile: https://sph.emory.edu/
• National PrEP Locator Tool: preplocator.org
• Partner Organizations: AIDS United, Black Public Health Academy, National Pharmaceutical Association, Emory COMPASS Center.
• Community Event: Join community efforts around the AIDS Walk Atlanta taking place on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

Call to Action:

To find PrEP providers and accessible pharmacy locations near you, visit preplocator.org. Learn more about public health initiatives at https://sph.emory.edu/sph.emory.edu.

To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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