From the Philadelphia Gay News:

FIGHT’s Jonathan Lax Treatment Center and Youth-Health Empowerment Project are launching [Philadelphia’s] first Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Program, a prevention initiative aimed at young HIV-negative men who have sex with men. Each participant will also begin a regimen of Truvada, the first-ever drug designed for HIV-prevention, which was originally introduced in 2004. PrEP will consist of in-person group meetings in which the participants will discuss HIV stigma, healthy living, leadership development and other topics. The 15-member group will range in age from 18-29.

Dr. Helen Koenig, physician at the Jonathan Lax Center, along with Noel Ramirez, health-education program coordinator at the Dorothy Mann Center, will spearhead the project. Koenig noted that the center has seen an influx of young men of color coming in, newly diagnosed with HIV. She hopes that PrEP will help stymie this trend.

Read more: PGN-The Philadelphia Gay News