[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today, Gov. Lamont signed Bill 819 into law, providing accessible HIV protection to Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ minors. This law allows minors to access a prophylactic HIV prevention medication (known as PrEP) without parental consent. This is important because one in every five new HIV infections nationwide occur in young people between 13 and 24 years of age. Gay and bisexual males receive 80 percent of those diagnoses.
At the post signing press conference today, Dr. Krystn Wagner, Medical Director of HIV and Infectious Diseases at Fair Haven Community Health Care, shared these stats to illustrate the broad impact the drug’s availability will have. The success in passing the legislation was thanks to a strong partnership with Jay Sicklick and Alice Rosenthal, both attorneys for the Medical-Legal Partnership Project at the Center for Children’s Advocacy and the support of State Representatives Currey and Allie-Brennan.
As Dr. Wagner observed : “At the heart of this bill being signed today by Gov. Lamont are the needs of LGBTQ+ teens who are unable or not yet ready to come forward to their parents or guardians to disclose their status.” Access to PrEP helps to protect adolescents from the HIV infection. Click here for a picture of Dr. Wagner and Governor Lamont at the signing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]