PEP/PrEP access via pharmacist-prescribing by community pharmacists
Official title: PEP/PrEP via Pharmacist-Prescribing Implementation (PEPPI)
Funded at Empowerx, INC. · NIH-11536938 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-pharmacy-based program tests giving PrEP and PEP directly from pharmacists to improve HIV prevention in communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Empowerx, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Del Mar, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 22, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,034,734 |
| NIH project number | 4R44MH142152-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11536938 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults at risk for HIV who live near participating community pharmacies and are open to pharmacist-prescribed PrEP/PEP.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in areas without participating pharmacies or who prefer traditional clinician-based PrEP/PEP may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project partners with local LGBT+ and advocacy groups to design and pilot pharmacist-prescribed PrEP/PEP services. Community pharmacists will be empowered to provide PrEP/PEP, with tools and processes developed through Design Thinking to fit real-world pharmacy workflows. The study will gather feedback from patients and partners to refine recruitment, data collection, and service delivery so more people can access HIV prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people at risk for HIV could access PrEP/PEP through convenient pharmacies, potentially lowering new HIV infections.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary surveys show high willingness from patients to receive PrEP/PEP from pharmacists, but actual service uptake has been low; this study tests implementation in real settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Empowerx, INC.
Del Mar, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rafie, Sally — Empowerx, INC.
- Study coordinator: Rafie, Sally
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
mChoice: Boosting PrEP Use and Adherence for Black and Latino MSM with Tailored Training and Support
A national study to help Black and Latino men who have sex with men start and stick with PrEP through culturally matched provider training and patient support.
-
Harnessing male peer networks to boost HIV testing and PrEP use
A large clinical trial in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through male peer networks, with phone support, increases PrEP uptake among men.
-
Harnessing men's peer networks to boost HIV self-testing and PrEP use
A large project in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through men’s social networks, with phone support, can lead to more men starting PrEP and using HIV testing.
-
Participatory system dynamics to improve PrEP access in the Bronx
A community-driven project in the Bronx will use system dynamics to identify practical ways to help people at risk for HIV start and stay on PrEP.
-
TB PrEP: Bringing HIV prevention to households affected by TB in Uganda
Aims to help people in households with TB in Uganda access HIV PrEP as part of a combined prevention approach.
-
CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
A program called CARES helps young women in South Africa and Zimbabwe use different PrEP options better, with counseling, reminders, and options for support.
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.