Legacy Community Health Now Offers Injectable Options for HIV Prevention and Treatment
Apretude and Cabenuva are available at two locations in Montrose.
The first injectable drugs—one for HIV prevention and the other for HIV treatment—are now available at the two Legacy Community Health locations in Houston’s gayborhood.
Apretude, a long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option that is taken once every six months, has proven to be superior to daily oral HIV-prevention medications. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December.
One month later, the FDA announced the approval of Cabenuva, the first injectable option for HIV treatment. Cabenuva requires a monthly injection by a healthcare professional.
Both drugs are available at Legacy Community Health, the organization said in a February 11 statement. Those who are interested can either walk in or make an appointment at the California Street or Westheimer Road locations.
“These drugs represent a different model for delivering care for patients—both treatment and prevention,” says Maggie White, a nurse practitioner at Wellness Bar by Legacy. “The reality is that lots of people have trouble remembering to take their daily pill, whether that’s PrEP or ART. The vast majority of patients who have been on PrEP and contracted HIV have done so because they missed doses of PrEP. Apretude can eliminate that. Scheduling out these doses will do wonders for medication management and adherence.”
“We’re really trying to create a different paradigm here at Wellness Bar,” White adds. “Patients don’t have to worry about $15 for parking or navigating a huge hospital complex. Wellness Bar is discreet, laid back—like coming into a nail salon every few weeks, but you’re getting your injection. We provide a wellness service; it doesn’t feel like a doctor’s office or infectious-disease clinic.”
According to America’s HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD), the Harris County HIV viral-suppression rate in 2019 was at 57 percent. The Dashboard tracks national and jurisdictional progress leading to the overarching goal of the initiative: reducing new HIV transmissions 75 percent by 2025. The goal in 2019 was for the suppression rate in Harris County to reach 95 percent.
“An injectable like Cabenuva should help raise the suppression rate in Harris County,” says Ruston Taylor, the Senior director of pharmacy clinical services and outreach at Legacy Community Health. “Apretude works on the other end of the fight, helping to prevent transmission to those who are HIV-negative.”
For more information on Legacy Community Health and Wellness Bar, visit legacycommunityhealth.org and wellnesbarbylegacy.org.
