PrEP in South Carolina, pre-exposure prophylaxis, who qualifies, how to start

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily pill (Truvada, Descovy) or every-two-months injection (Apretude) that prevents HIV in people who don't have HIV. Taken as prescribed, daily-pill PrEP reduces the risk of sexually transmitted HIV by about 99% and the risk from injection-drug sharing by about 74%, per CDC. In South Carolina, PrEP is available through primary-care providers, FQHCs, LGBTQ+ community health centers, and Ryan White Part C clinics, you do not need to see an HIV specialist to start.

To qualify for PrEP you need a recent negative HIV test (or one done the same day), a baseline labs panel (kidney function, hepatitis B, STIs), and a prescriber visit. Follow-up is every three months for a repeat HIV test and medication refill. Most insurance including Medicaid covers PrEP with zero out-of-pocket under the USPSTF Grade A preventive-services rule. The drug manufacturers (Gilead, ViiV) operate patient-assistance programs for anyone without insurance.

South Carolina does not operate a state-funded PrEP Drug Assistance Program; residents rely on the federal Ready, Set, PrEP program (getyourprep.com) for medication coverage, Gilead Advancing Access or ViiV Connect for the drug copay, and the USPSTF Grade A preventive-services rule for clinic visits and labs (required zero-cost-share under the ACA). The state HIV program line is 1-803-898-0749 for a PrEP clinic referral.

Black PrEP uptake nationally lags sharply, a 2023 AIDSVu analysis found that Black Americans account for 42% of new HIV diagnoses but only 14% of PrEP users. Long-time Black residents name MUSC Ryan White Clinic and Palmetto Community Care as the local institutions that show up consistently, both are listed below.

MUSC Ryan White Clinic. The MUSC Ryan White Clinic in Charleston is South Carolina's largest Ryan White Part C grantee, serving about 2,400 people living with HIV across the Lowcountry; MUSC co-runs the Palmetto State's EHE Charleston plan with Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Palmetto Community Care. Palmetto Community Care in North Charleston (formerly Lowcountry AIDS Services) is the Ryan White Part B case-management contractor for the Lowcountry region, with a dedicated Black-women-focused prevention program and the state's highest-volume community rapid-testing van.