Philadelphia’s HIV prevention community came together during Philly Prep Awareness Week for the third annual Prevention Pioneers Celebration. The event, held on October 29 at the CIRA Centre, celebrated the people and organizations making PrEP easier to access through community-centered and innovative approaches. 

What is PrEP?

PrEP is a medicine that helps protect people from getting HIV. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent HIV and help people stay healthy. Today, people can choose from different PrEP options, including daily pills and long-acting injections. Having more choices makes it easier for people to find an option that works best for their needs and lifestyle. 

Partnerships and innovation

The Prevention Pioneers Celebration was hosted by Philly Keep On Loving, the Health Department’s trusted source for sexual health resources. It highlighted the partnerships and innovation that make HIV prevention possible. Prevention Pioneers recognizes healthcare providers, pharmacists, community health workers, and community organizations that work every day to connect people to HIV prevention services and PrEP. 

This year’s celebration focused on making PrEP easier to get, supporting healthcare providers through training and technical assistance, and building stronger connections across Philadelphia’s HIV prevention network. While many people in Philadelphia have heard of PrEP, there is still more work to do. More people need access to information, conversations with healthcare providers, and support in starting PrEP if it is right for them. Local data show that the communities most affected by HIV are often the least likely to use PrEP, making continued partnership and innovation essential. 

Award winners showed many creative ways to help people learn about and use PrEP. Their work included:

  • peer-led education programs
  • new ways to provide injectable PrEP
  • one-stop healthcare services
  • efforts to make HIV prevention a routine part of care

Award recipients included:

  • Mazzoni Center team (pictured above) as Prevention Champion of the Year 
  • Bebashi Transition to Hope’s HYPE Program for HIV Testing and Linkage Innovation
  • Dr. Noa Slotky of Penn Presbyterian Community Practice for New Prevention Models and Promising Practices
  • Philadelphia’s AbsoluteCare team for Syndemic Integration
  • Dorothy Mann Center at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children for Perinatal and Reproductive HIV Prevention

The event was also a reminder that HIV prevention takes teamwork. By bringing partners together each year, Prevention Pioneers helps strengthen connections, share ideas, and expand access to PrEP across Philadelphia.

Learn more about PrEP options and find services near you.