New strategies are needed to increase and improve quality sexual health services within the United States. This should include creating, and investing in, partnerships with pharmacies to provide new access points for STI/HIV services. Pharmacies are located independently throughout the community, grocery stores, and “big box” stores such as Walmart, Target, and Kroger, providing convenient access points for STI/HIV services with trusted health professionals. There is a long history of public health entities engaging pharmacies in TB testing, hepatitis vaccination, HIV management and care, safe syringe programs, emergency contraception, delivery of injectable contraceptives, HPV vaccination, and most recently, COVID-19 vaccination.

NACCHO, in partnership with the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) and with support from CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, is pleased to share a new resource for local health departments and the pharmacists that they partner with entitled, Pharmacist Scope of Practice Related to Preventing and Treating STIs. This resource provides information from all states on what activities can be provide within the pharmacists’ scope of work regarding STIs/HIV.

For additional and ever updated information, always check NASPA’s website.