Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Washington received a $729,551 Project Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), awarded May 4, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2031. This implementation science project addresses barriers to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access by expanding pharmacy-based PrEP services. The grant supports three primary aims: (1) building on an existing Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative supplement to evaluate a virtual community of practice (VCOP) for pharmacists and pharmacy staff to increase their knowledge and capabilities in PrEP prescribing; and (2-3) conducting financial analyses and time-motion studies to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and operational feasibility of providing injectable PrEP versus oral medications and comparing in-pharmacy visits to telehealth delivery models.

The project generates evidence-based products and findings intended to support broader implementation of pharmacy-based PrEP across the United States. Deliverables include evaluation data on the VCOP training model's effectiveness, health economics analyses providing financial projections for pharmacy PrEP implementation, and comparative cost-benefit data on injectable versus oral PrEP delivery modalities. These products will inform pharmacy practice standards, insurance coverage policies, and state regulatory frameworks to overcome existing barriers—including prescriptive authority limitations and reimbursement constraints—and increase PrEP access and continuity of treatment among populations who would benefit most from prevention services.