Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS Team up in National Effort to Encourage HIV Testing and Prevention

Select Walgreens Locations in 150 Cities Across the Nation to Host
Free HIV Testing Events June 23 – 25, including Atlanta, Baltimore,
Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans and Memphis, Among Other Cities

DEERFIELD, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the lead up to National HIV Testing Day on June 27, Walgreens and
Greater Than AIDS, a leading national public information response to the
domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, are teaming with health departments and
local AIDS service organizations (ASOs) to offer free HIV testing and
counseling about new prevention strategies, including Pre-Exposure
Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Testing will take place at select Walgreens stores in 150 participating
cities, June 23-25:

• Thursday, June 23 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday, June 24 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 25 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Results are provided on site by trained counselors. Alere North America,
bioLytical Laboratories and OraSure have donated test kits for the
activation.

For a complete list of participating Walgreens locations and supporting
partners, as well as more information about HIV testing, including
year-round testing sites, visit www.greaterthan.org/walgreens.

Why get tested? While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) advises that all Americans be screened for HIV as a part of
routine health care¹, many Americans have never been tested
or are not being tested as often as recommended. According to national
surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation 43 percent of Americans report
never having been tested, and another 37 percent say they have not been
tested in a year or longer. With early diagnosis and treatment, someone
with HIV can live a healthy normal lifespan.

“This month marks 35 years since the first case of HIV. We’ve come a
long way, but getting tested is a critical first step in staying healthy
regardless of status,” said Tina Hoff, senior vice president and
director of health communication and media partnerships at the Kaiser
Family Foundation, which leads Greater Than AIDS.

Richard Ashworth, president of pharmacy and retail operations for
Walgreens, said, “We are fortunate to have a strong presence in — and
close relationship with — communities across America, making us
uniquely suited to serve those living with HIV or at risk of being
exposed to HIV. It’s one of the best ways I know to champion everyone’s
right to be happy and healthy.”

“HIV is still a real and serious disease. But with the right treatment
and care, people living with HIV can expect to live as long as the
average person,” said Glen Pietrandoni, pharmacist and senior director
of virology, specialty products and services at Walgreens. “So it’s
important to take control of your health by getting a test and learning
your status. If negative, there are now prevention options like PrEP,
which can help prevent you from getting HIV if you are exposed to the
virus. If positive, getting into care early makes a big difference in
the long run.”

I Got Tested: What’s Next?, an informational guide available in
both English and Spanish from Greater Than AIDS and Walgreens, will be
distributed at hundreds of HIV-specialized pharmacies and through local
partners in June. The guide includes information about the benefits of
early treatment and PrEP.

PrEP is available by prescription to help people who are HIV negative
stay negative. When taken as prescribed, PrEP has been shown to reduce
the risk of HIV infection by more than 90 percent. Condoms should be
used for added protection and to protect against other sexually
transmitted diseases. More information about PrEP is available at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com),
one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail
Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA),
the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More
than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities
across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to
consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health
and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores
with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens digital business includes
Walgreens.com, drugstore.com, Beauty.com and VisionDirect.com. More than
400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail
clinic services.

About Greater Than AIDS

Greater Than AIDS is a leading national public information response
focused on the U.S. domestic epidemic. Launched in 2009 by the Kaiser
Family Foundation together with the Black AIDS Institute, it is
supported today by a broad coalition of public and private sector
partners, including: major media and other business leaders; Federal,
state and local health agencies and departments; national leadership
groups; AIDS service and other community organizations; and foundations,
among others. Through targeted media messages and community outreach,
Greater Than AIDS works to increase knowledge, reduce stigma and promote
actions to stem the spread of the disease. While national in scope,
Greater Than AIDS focuses on communities most affected.

About Kaiser Family Foundation

The
Kaiser Family Foundation, a leader in health policy analysis,
health journalism and communication, is dedicated to filling the need
for trusted, independent information on the major health issues facing
our nation and its people. The Foundation is a non-profit private
operating foundation based in Menlo Park, California.

¹ Branson BM, Handsfield HH, Lampe MA, et al. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Revised recommendations for HIV testing
of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health-care settings.
MMWR. 2006;55(RR14):1-17.

Contacts

Walgreens
Jim Graham
jim.graham@walgreens.com
or
Kaiser
Family Foundation
Katie Smith
katies@kff.org