PrEP in Hospital: Turning Inpatient Stays into HIV Prevention for People Who Use Drugs
Official title: PREP-TALK: Transforming Hospitalization into a PrEP Engagement Opportunity for People Who Use Drugs
Funded at Boston Medical Center · NIH-11394735 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A hospital-based program aims to start PrEP for people who use drugs during their hospital stay and connect them to follow-up care after discharge.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,066,706 |
| NIH project number | 1RM1DA066198-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394735 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who use drugs and are at risk for HIV who are admitted to participating hospitals may be eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not at risk for HIV or who do not want PrEP may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project focuses on people who use drugs who are at high risk for HIV. It plans to test systems that make prescribing PrEP available in hospital settings, not just outpatient clinics. The researchers will work with multiple hospitals to implement and refine processes so PrEP can be started during admission and linked to community follow-up. A guiding framework will help address barriers within hospital workflows and ensure patients receive ongoing prevention care after leaving the hospital.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase PrEP uptake among PWUD and reduce new HIV infections by catching prevention opportunities during hospitalization.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has explored PrEP in outpatient settings; this study tests a new hospital-based approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wurcel, Alysse Gail — Boston Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wurcel, Alysse Gail
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.
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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.