Indy Pride Festival attendees will be able to do more than grab a rainbow wristband this year. Damien Center is setting up inside the festival's health pavilion at Military Park on Saturday, June 13, handing out same-day oral PrEP prescriptions and two-week starter packs of generic Truvada on site. Staff say festival goers can get rapid HIV testing, talk with clinic staff and, for the first time at Indy Pride, leave the park with HIV prevention medication in hand.
No pre-registration or insurance is required to receive the starter pack, and recipients will be asked to schedule a follow-up visit within two weeks for lab work and ongoing care. The pop-up is part of Damien Center's effort to cut down on barriers to PrEP for LGBTQ+ Hoosiers during the busy Pride weekend.
What organizers say
In a press release, Damien Center President and CEO Alan Witchey said, "For the first time, someone can walk into the festival, get tested and walk out with HIV prevention medication in hand," as reported by WTHR.
The Damien Center says it will staff the health pavilion on the festival's main day. Indy Pride lists Military Park as the site for its mainstage programming during the June 12–14 weekend. Organizers add that clinicians at the pavilion will help enroll people in patient assistance programs and help them navigate insurance for continued prescriptions once the starter pack runs out.
How effective PrEP is
The CDC notes that when taken as prescribed, both oral and injectable PrEP reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent and lower the risk from injection drug use by at least 74 percent. The Damien Center, which offers in-clinic and TelePrEP options, says PrEP is covered by most insurance plans and that staff can help find assistance for coverage gaps, per Damien Center.
That combination of on-site testing, starter medication and help with paperwork is meant to pull in people who might otherwise hit appointment or cost roadblocks.
What to expect at the pavilion
According to the press release, eligible attendees will receive a two-week supply of generic Truvada on site with no pre-registration or insurance required, and staff will schedule follow-up appointments to connect people to ongoing care, per WTHR.
The center says follow-up visits will include blood work, STI testing and a medical visit to determine whether someone should continue on PrEP, and staff will help people enroll in assistance programs when needed.
Continuing care after Pride
People who take a starter pack are urged to book a follow-up appointment at Damien Center's clinic. The group's PrEP page also highlights TelePrEP for patients who prefer virtual care. The Damien Center has operated in Indianapolis since 1987 and is the state's largest organization providing HIV testing, prevention and treatment services, per Damien Center.
