Sometimes I’m asked what motivates me and keeps me going in the work that I do. I often think about this question and conclude that it’s a variety of issues that collide and inspire me to keep focused on the important work we do in the HIV community. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on this question a lot and want to share with you an example of what makes me tick.
A few weeks ago while I was in the doctor’s office taking care of my own health, I received a text from a friend who said “I just tested positive, can you help me?” I spent that evening with him assuring him he has his full life ahead of him. We fortunately do have the tools to take care of him. I think I was able to help him feel better that night but he’s now struggling with depression and shame. I’m confident he’s going to be fine, but it’s been a really tough few weeks for him.
My friend started taking Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) about 8 months ago. When he went back for his second 3-month check up and went to the pharmacy to pick up his prescription refill for Truvada, he realized that even with the Gilead copay program he couldn’t afford the 50% co-insurance. He even tried a few other options to gain access but he was not plugged into the right resources and was unable to afford the co-insurance. So he stopped taking PrEP. Two months after he stopped PrEP, he tested positive.
Our system failed my friend. Sure, his behavior contributed, but this type of systemic failure has and continues to be an everyday occurrence for far too many Americans, especially for Black and Latino communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent release of data projecting half of all Black gay men and a quarter of Latino gay men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime is just the latest example how the public health community and our larger social, political, and economic structures continue to fail the most vulnerable communities in our society.