Integrating long-acting PrEP into street medicine for people who use drugs
Official title: Integrating long-acting injectable PrEP into addiction street medicine: Design and feasibility of peer- and practitioner-facilitated engagement models
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11469899 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether a long-acting HIV prevention shot (lenacapavir) can be feasibly and acceptably offered by street-based health teams to people who use drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $206,318 |
| NIH project number | 1R34DA067262-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11469899 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults who use drugs and have limited access to traditional HIV prevention services in street medicine contexts.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use injectable PrEP or who have good access to comprehensive prevention services may see less direct benefit.
What this research studies
The study focuses on two street medicine programs in Everett, WA, to see if people who use drugs will accept and continue a long-acting HIV prevention treatment. It uses real-world, implementation-centered approaches to test workflows, engagement models, and follow-up in low-barrier settings. The team will explore how staffing, same-day access, and mobile outreach affect LEN uptake and ongoing use among this high-risk group. The research aims to identify practical strategies to reduce HIV risk in communities with limited prevention infrastructure. This is conducted as a pilot to inform broader real-world deployment if successful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to easier, less burdensome HIV prevention for people who use drugs in street settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous implementation work with street medicine and mobile outreach has shown promise in reaching underserved populations, but LEN-specific uptake in this setting is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hatch, Mary Akiko — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Hatch, Mary Akiko
Related research
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CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.