On June 18th, the second annual Illinois PrEP Summit convened at Malcom X College with a focus on disrupting disparities and advancing access. Over 160 people – people living with HIV, case managers, health professionals, advocates, and community members – gathered in the conference room to listen to presenters and share ideas. A key theme throughout each speaker’s presentation was the need to address the complicated and broken healthcare system that creates barriers and furthers the disparities we are seeing with PrEP usage. Data from AIDSvu found that Black people made up 44.4% of new HIV cases in 2021 but were only 12.7% of PrEP users in 2023. Similarly, Latinx people accounted for 26% of new HIV cases in 2021 but were only 18% of PrEP users.
To increase PrEP uptake and end the HIV epidemic, Dr. Aniruddha (Anu) Hazra emphasized in his presentation the need to pay attention to the rising rates of STIs and STDs across the country. 
Hazra is the Director of the Diseases Fellowship Program and Medical Director of UCM Sexual Wellness Clinic at the University of Chicago. “STDS predict the future of HIV,” shared Hazra. “Research has shown that Syphilis is thought to facilitate HIV acquisition and transmission.” We know that DoxyPEP is an effective way to prevent sexually transmitted infections including Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia. In fact, Dr. Hazra shared that when doctors are asked ‘if you could only bring one medication to a deserted island what would it be,’ they all say DoxyPEP. Ultimately, Dr. Hazra explained, there needs to be a systematic approach to sexual health that addresses the social determinants of health.
During lunch, Taskforce Prevention and Community Services kept participants engaged with an interactive ballroom performance featuring Skai Roseburr, Marvell Craig and Aliyah Boclair. 
In the afternoon, Timothy Jackson, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy at AFC, led a panel discussion with people working in the field about how to effectively support PrEP innovation and usage in communities. The panel featured Lisa Vasquez from Erie Family Health Center, Amairani Romero from Project VIDA, Antonio Mercado from VIDA TaskForce, and Skai Roseburr from TaskForce.
For the final presentation of the day, Dr. Christopher Balthazar, Executive Director of TaskForce, spoke about the efforts his organization, alongside PrEp4Teens, is working on to increase PrEP awareness and usage among youth in Chicago. Through youth-led projects including murals, public activation, and social media campaigns, they are finding success using methods that could be replicated elsewhere to engage young people with PrEP usage and awareness.
The conference concluded with a recognition of the following champions of PrEP:
- Dr. Aniruddha (Anu) Hazra, MD, Associate Professor, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, Director, Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program, Medical Director, UCM Sexual Wellness Clinic, University of Chicago – for focus on DoxyPEP and STI prevention
- Timothy Jackson, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy, AIDS Foundation Chicago – for focus on Policy and removing structural barriers to increase PrEP uptake
- Dr. Christopher Balthazar, PHD, Executive Director, Taskforce Prevention and Community Services – for increasing access to PrEP for youth
This is certainly not the end of the conversation. AFC will be hosting a PrEP dinner in the coming months to discuss breakthrough cases of HIV for people on PrEP and new research on PrEP and cisgender women.
The Illinois PrEP Summit 2024 was created in partnership with AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC), Midwest AIDS Training & Education Center (MATEC) and AIDS Education & Training Center Program (AETC Midwest).
