Drop-in center, specialty HIV/AIDS pharmacy open in Jackson Square

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

A pharmacy that specializes in providing medications and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS has opened its first location in New England inside a local AIDS service organization’s main office in Jackson Square.

AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts this week announced the opening of a new drop-in center along with the onsite MOMS Pharmacy location inside the organization’s space at 75 Amory St. in Jamaica Plain.

To mark the opening, a community reception is planned for Feb. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the new pharmacy. All are invited; RSVP to eferk@aac.org.

The drop-in center gives clients access to multiple resources and services, reduces barriers to care and offers clients one-stop shopping, the organization said in a press release.

Clients can access food, use computers for housing and job searches, attend legal clinics, and talk with a peer advocate about living with HIV, according to the agency. The drop-in center also houses an “HIV Health Library,” which has information about HIV and viral hepatitis in print, digital, and video formats, officials said.

MOMS Pharmacy will operate at the back of the drop-in center. The pharmacy has three locations in New York, six in California, and two in Seattle.

Both moves mark the expansion of AIDS Action’s treatment adherence program, which helps clients living with HIV and AIDS maintain their often complex medical regimens, the organization said.

“Having MOMS on-site, with pharmacists who are experts in HIV/AIDS medicine available to answer questions, will make it easier and more convenient for our clients to adhere to their treatment plans,” said a statement from Rebecca Haag, president & CEO of AIDS Action Committee, which provides services to one in six people in Massachusetts living with a diagnosis of HIV. “Ultimately, this is going to lead to better health outcomes for our clients. That, in turn, reduces the spread of HIV, reduces suffering for those with HIV, and reduces health care costs.”

MOMS Pharmacy focuses exclusively on providing medications and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS, and its leaders say it offers expert pharmacy care and delivery to thousands of individuals in the United States, including those living with co-infections such as viral hepatitis.

Services include pre-filled medicine trays and the MOMSPak, a month’s worth of medication packaged in daily, client-specific packets that include: the client’s name and the precise date and time when medication is to be taken; insurance reimbursement expertise and advocacy; on-site counseling with a pharmacist trained in HIV/AIDS medication protocols; educational and wellness sessions for clients; refill reminder programs; and delivery service options.

“HIV/AIDS is not a disease than can, or should, be managed like any other chronic diseases,” said a statement from MOMS Pharmacy president Anthony D. Luna. “HIV/AIDS presents a unique array of challenges that require it to be treated with a very specific and comprehensive form of expertise and understanding. MOMS Pharmacy strives to be viewed as an integral part of a client’s “treatment team” by providing supportive tools and a keen understanding of HIV/AIDS that results in improved clinical outcomes and an overall improvement in the quality of life for our clients.”

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
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