SPRINGFIELD – With lifesaving medication being one of the most effective means of preventing HIV diagnoses, State Senator Mike Simmons is proud to support the Illinois Department of Public Health’s initiative to allow Illinois residents to obtain HIV preventive medication known as PrEP directly from a pharmacist without requiring a doctor’s prescription.
“PrEP saves lives, and removing the prescription barrier means more people – especially in the LGBTQ+ community – will be provided with lifesaving care,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “This is a major step forward in health equity in Illinois.”
In June 2022, Simmons passed House Bill 4430 into law, which allows pharmacists to dispense and administer drugs, order laboratory tests, and consult individuals on HIV pre-exposure drugs and post-exposure drugs like PrEP.
Studies have shown that PrEP, when taken as directed, reduces the risk of HIV diagnoses through sexual transmission by as much as 99%. The new standing order, signed by IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra, will make it easier for people at risk of exposure to obtain either of the two oral medications used in the PrEP regimen. It also streamlines the process for pharmacists to receive reimbursement for providing PrEP services.
The Illinois Pharmacy Act authorizes pharmacists to provide PrEP if there is a standing order approved by a physician or, in this case, by the IDPH director. Under the protocol, interested pharmacists must undergo training that includes guidance on providing services in a private and confidential environment, ordering and interpreting the necessary tests, and maintaining records as required. Those considered at risk are people who are HIV-negative but may have other risk factors, such as having a sexual partner who is HIV-positive, sharing injection drug equipment, not using condoms consistently or having an STI diagnosed in the past six months.
“No one should face unnecessary hurdles to access lifesaving medication,” said Simmons. “By expanding access to PrEP without a prescription, Illinois is not just following the science – we’re affirming the dignity and health of LGBTQ+ individuals and setting a national example of what inclusive, people-first policy looks like.”
People seeking more information about PrEP can visit the IDPH website. For information on the state’s PrEP Assistance Program, contact IDPH’s HIV Section PrEP Helpline at 1-833-773-7445 (1-833-PREP4IL), by email at
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