December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, and health advocates across the state and country are educating the public on the various treatment and prevention options for patients.
Florida is home to roughly 22 million people and, according to the Florida Department of Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 128,000 Floridians are HIV-positive — the most of any state.
Christopher Woodring, the senior director of pharmacy operations at Trillium Health in New York, said the number of HIV patients in Florida has steadily climbed over the past five years.
“HIV is increasing. It looks like you’ve increased from 2019 to the most recent data in 2024, by 15,000 people living with HIV," Woodring explained. "That number was around 115,000 — now, it looks like it’s closer to 130,000.”
Florida has the third highest new infection rate in the nation, and the virus kills hundreds of people in Florida each year.
Health officials claim the spread of HIV is linked to unsafe practices, lack of awareness and limited access to HIV care.
Remembering Ryan White
To combat this, Florida clinics are working with the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The initiative was established after Ryan White, 13, was diagnosed with AIDS after a blood transfusion in December 1984.
Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act in August 1990. It allows health clinics to use federal funds to pay for HIV treatment and other related services to low-income patients.
“We have case management, housing assistance, food assistance, mental health counselor — pretty much everything that a client that is HIV-positive could need," said Rob Renzi, CEO of Big Bend Cares, a nonprofit in the Ryan White program that provides care for HIV patients in the Tallahassee area.
Renzi said his facility also works to help people reduce their chance of contracting the virus with the help of the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
Since becoming a Ryan White partner, Renzi's clinic receives its HIV medication at a discounted rate. The money saved goes toward free education programs on sexually transmitted diseases.
#HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program has achieved a remarkable 90.6% viral suppression rate among clients in medical care! This means longer, healthier lives; zero risk of sexual transmission; & better health outcomes. https://t.co/PDw0Y3CUKf #WorldAIDSDay #HRSAHonorsWAD pic.twitter.com/g9HfCGNsjI
— HRSA (@HRSAgov) December 2, 2024
“When I first started, we got just around a $1 million in (Ryan White program) funds, and we had about 360 patients," explained Renzi. "Today, 20 years later, I have over a 1,000 patients. Without 340B to supplement, we wouldn’t be able to do anything."
Educate Yourself
Health experts urge at-risk people to get tested regularly and begin HIV prep medication to reduce the chances of getting HIV.
Emily Blaiklock, vice president of pharmacy for Positive Impact Health Centers, notes that people who aren’t at risk should do their part as well by staying informed on the latest HIV services.
“We provide dental services, food vouchers and transportation for rural areas ... so it’s really the wraparound services that lead to the elimination of HIV," said Blaiklock, whose agency provides comprehensive HIV care in the Atlanta area.
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