Philly FIGHT Holds PrEP Town Hall Meeting

On Thursday, October 29, Rep. Brian Sims, Philadelphia FIGHT, the William Way LGBT Community Center and the Sellers Dorsey Foundation will present a Town Hall Meeting about PrEP, the pill that's almost 100% effective in preventing HIV if taken daily.

"We now have a pill that will prevent those at risk from contracting HIV, but not enough people in our community know about it," said Rep. Sims. "If you or someone you know could be at risk, this Town Hall Meeting is the perfect opportunity to find out if PrEP may be a viable option for you to protect yourself from HIV infection."

The event will take place on Thursday, October 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce Street in Philadelphia. Speakers will include Rep. Sims, Dr. Helen Koenig, PrEP Program Medical Director, and Caitlin Conyngham, Director of PrEP Programs, at Philadelphia FIGHT, who will lead an interactive informational presentation about PrEP, followed by Q&A.

Truvada is the brand name for PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis), a pill that was approved by the FDA for HIV prevention in 2012. In 2014, the CDC issued new federal guidelines for health care providers recommending that PrEP be considered for people who are HIV-negative and at substantial risk for HIV infection, specifically including gay and bisexual men who have unprotected sex.

Philadelphia FIGHT is a comprehensive health services organization providing state-of-the art, culturally competent primary care to low income members of the community, HIV specialty care, consumer education, advocacy, social services, and outreach to people living with HIV and those who are at high risk, including family members, communities with high rates of HIV, formerly incarcerated persons, and young people at risk, along with access to the most advanced clinical research in HIV treatment and prevention.

Each year FIGHT reaches over 8,000 individuals with medical care, research, social services and education programs. FIGHT's goal is to end the AIDS epidemic within the lifetime of those currently living with HIV.

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Mike Marsico, Philadelphia FIGHT's Deputy Director, at [email protected].