2022 Pharmacy Survey Results: PrEP and Wegovy | Part 4

Fourth of six parts

Many government, public health officials and HIV/AIDS experts talked up preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as the way to protect from getting infected with HIV and perhaps end the HIV epidemic altogether.

But fewer people are taking PrEP pills than hoped. Injections that provide protection for two months may help. But respondents to our 2022 Pharmacy Survey are split evenly on PrEP as a strategy for stopping HIV infections. Just over one-third (35%) rated their confidence in PrEP stopping HIV infections as high or very high.

But a similar proportion (36%) rated their confidence in PrEP as a strategy for stopping HIV infections as low or very low. A sizable minority of 28% classified themselves as neutral on the question.

We also asked about coverage of Wegovy (semaglutide), the weight-loss drug. A solid majority (55%) agreed that insurers are justified in restricting coverage of Wegovy, a result that may reflect that about 38% of the more than 950 respondents to our survey indicated that they work for pharmacy benefit managers.

The survey was distributed by Managed Healthcare Executive® and Pharmacy Times® in late June and early July.