SALT LAKE CITY — A new bill introduced in the Utah State Legislature would allow people exposed to HIV to get prophylaxis medication without a prescription.
House Bill 307, sponsored by Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, would allow for post-exposure HIV medication to be issued from a pharmacy under a "standing order" from a local health department. A person seeking the medication could access it once a year and they would still have to pay for it.
"We have a significant number of people in this state who may be exposed to HIV, who may not be able to get to their doctor within that 72 hours, who may be going to the emergency room," Rep. Hollins told FOX 13 on Tuesday. "Or who may not want to come forward, who may be sexually assaulted... and they should still have access to that medication."
The approach is similar to how Naloxone is distributed in Utah. Rep. Hollins said she wasn't sure how the bill would fare in the legislature, but promised to bring it back over multiple years if need be.
