Pills that can prevent HIV made available through telehealth in Mississippi
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Concentration of HIV cases in Mississippi in 2018
Health experts say there is an HIV epidemic in Mississippi, and a new telemedicine program aims to reduce transmission of the disease. But advocates say expanded telehealth access is needed for the program to be effective.
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More than 70 percent of persons living with HIV in Mississippi are Black, and many live in rural areas without accessible healthcare. The Mississippi Department of Health recently announced that PrEP pills are available for free statewide through a telehealth line. Dr. James Brock is an Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He says PrEP is a pill taken once a day to prevent contracting HIV. But he says many who need the medication don't know they are at risk.