Walgreens teams up with DoorDash, Uber to launch free ‘Same Day Rx Delivery’ of HIV meds
Walgreens, in partnership with DoorDash and Uber, is launching free 'Same Day Rx Delivery' of medications for the prevention and treatment of HIV. This service is available to eligible patients within 15 miles of thousands of participating Walgreens retail pharmacies nationwide.
“While most of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a Walgreens pharmacy, transportation remains a critical barrier to accessing health care,” said Kevin Ban, chief medical officer of Walgreens. “With more than half of Walgreens stores located in socially vulnerable or underserved communities, we can help make HIV prevention and treatment options more accessible, convenient and equitable across our communities.”
This initiative is the latest offering in an ongoing collaboration between Walgreens, DoorDash and Uber. In December 2022, following the companies’ response to the White House COVID-19 call to action, the companies launched free Paxlovid delivery services aimed at increasing access to COVID-19 treatment, with a focus on reaching those in socially vulnerable or medically underserved areas.
[Read more: Walgreens partners with DoorDash, Uber Health to provide free Paxlovid delivery]
Offering free, Same Day Rx Delivery of HIV medications supports the White House’s updated National HIV/AIDS strategy for a more coordinated, re-energized national response to HIV. The strategy’s targets include a 75% reduction in new HIV infections by 2025 and a 90% reduction by 2030. To realize these targets, the strategy focuses on four goals:
- prevent new HIV infections;
- improve HIV-related health outcomes of people with HIV;
- reduce HIV-related disparities and health inequities; and
- achieve integrated, coordinated efforts that address the HIV epidemic, Walgreens said.
“Local delivery has broadened access for communities across the U.S. DoorDash is proud to partner with Walgreens to power the free, same-day delivery of medication to prevent or treat HIV,” said Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean, vice president of communications & policy for DoorDash. “Transportation barriers and other challenges can prevent people from accessing the medicine they need. Our partnership with Walgreens helps ensure that people aren’t denied lifesaving medication just because they can’t make it to their local pharmacy.”
“Over one million people in the U.S. have HIV and the disease disproportionately impacts traditionally underserved populations,” said Julia Paige, head of global social impact at Uber. “By combining Walgreens' nationwide network of pharmacies with Uber’s industry-leading technology, our partnership will help reduce transportation and access barriers so that those who need it most can get their prescription delivered right to their door at no cost to them.”
[Read more: Walgreens to reportedly use robots in pharmacy supply chain]
People with HIV who take HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) as prescribed, and get and keep an undetectable viral load—a very low level of HIV in the blood—can live long and healthy lives and will not transmit HIV to their HIV-negative partners through sex. And for people who do not have HIV but are at risk of getting HIV, pre-exposure prophylaxis is a highly effective tool for preventing HIV, Walgreens noted.
Eligible patients must have a prescription for antiretroviral medication or PrEP from a healthcare provider. After the pharmacy has filled the prescription and before it gets picked up, individuals can go online to choose Same Day Rx Delivery by visiting here, the Walgreens app or by calling their store.