After national outcry, Publix grocery chain will protect workers from HIV

[DonViejo]

Source: LGBTQ Nation




By Bil Browning · Tuesday, February 6, 2018

After being publicly shamed for refusing to provide the HIV prevention medicine, Truvada, to employees, the conservative grocery chain Publix has reversed their position. The Florida-based company announced on Twitter that they are changing their insurance plan to cover PrEP.

Earlier today, gay Florida state representative Carlos Guillermo Smith shared the response the company gave him when he summoned corporate leaders to his office to demand answers. The suits confirmed previous reports that it was a corporate decision not to cover the medication. They wouldn’t say if it was based on cost or a “morals” issue for the notoriously conservative corporation.

The cost of covering the daily pill would be minimal. Not that many employees would request the medication and the cost of treating an HIV negative employee would be dramatically lower than someone who has been infected by the virus.

The company’s political action arm and its CEO, Todd Jones, have repeatedly donated to conservative politicians. The chain has a zero percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign‘s Corporate Equality Index. A number of employees have complained of anti-LGBTQ discrimination. After the corporation started being compared to Hobby Lobby on social media, corporate leaders decided to cover the medication.

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Read more: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/02/national-outcry-publix-grocery-chain-will-protect-workers-hiv/

[dewsgirl]

1. I've shopped at Publix my whole life, and never heard

Anything bad, in fact I've heard the opposite. This story really surprised me, I'm happy they choose to do the right thing.

[dbackjon]

3. So much misinformation

1) Of course you must be negative to be on it.
2) They have to say that, by law. But in reality, Truvada reduces the chances of transmission, even without safe-sex practices, to basically zero. It doesn't protect against Hepatitis, etc so of course you want to promote safe sex. And short of abstinence, condoms, etc are not 100% fool-proof.
3) Anyone that has sex (gay or straight) should be tested regularly. No different than many drugs that you do regular blood tests to make sure that there aren't side effects, etc.
4) What gave you the idea that you have to take it for life? From the CDC: Will I have to take PrEP for the rest
of my life?
No, unlike HIV medications for people who are infected with
HIV, PrEP is not lifelong therapy. It is intended to help during
periods when you may be at risk of getting HIV infection. If
your risk for HIV decreases, you can stop taking PrEP.

[eggplant]

4. +1 for accurate information.

[moriah]

5. Or, a husband/wife has the disease and doesn't want their partner to get it.

I would have felt a lot better about hearing of broken condoms with my parents had PrEP been available when they got back together back when I was a teenager. When you're talking about a fatal disease, and I watched my Dad die of it, helping to keep negative partners negative despite condom breaks is worth it. If you think condoms don't need backup when you know someone has a fatal STD, I guess you haven't paid attention to abortion statistics and how many kids are conceived on condoms alone.

The dose for PrEP isn't enough to fully fight the virus if it's become established in the patient. That's why they must be tested and continue to be tested. If they show antibody positives they need to go to a higher dose ASAP to hopefully prevent resistance to the medications in Truvada.

And yes, as long as you want the protection it offers, you need to stay on it.

But no, it's not just meth heads kissing meth heads, or just promiscuous people, who need access to PrEP.