Transportation has been cited as a persistent barrier to healthcare access for many across the U.S. In an effort to curb that, a new partnership between Walgreens, DoorDash and Uber will now offer same-day delivery of HIV drugs to any patient within 15 miles of the pharmacy.
"While most of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a Walgreens pharmacy, transportation remains a critical barrier to accessing healthcare," Kevin Ban, MD, chief medical officer for Walgreens, said in a March 2 press statement. "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."
The effort, a news release notes, is in line with the Biden administration's call to reduce HIV infections across the nation by 90 percent by 2030.
It is not the first time Walgreens has teamed up with the food delivery giants to address national needs outlined by the president. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the three collaborated to offer free deliveries of Paxlovid for treatment of the illness in older and vulnerable patients.
Approximately 1.2 million Americans are infected with HIV. Drugs both to prevent infection and antiretroviral drugs to reduce transmission can be critical to healthcare, particularly for underserved populations — which HIV more severely affects.
"Transportation barriers and other challenges can prevent people from accessing the medicine they need," Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean, vice president of communications and policy for DoorDash, said in a statement. "Our partnership with Walgreens helps ensure that people aren't denied lifesaving medication just because they can't make it to their local pharmacy."