Portland, OR | June 25, 2015 - In lead up to National HIV Testing day this Saturday, CAP is teaming with Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS, a leading national public information response to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, to encourage community members to know their HIV status and take advantage of free HIV testing at Walgreens in North Portland, OR (2829 N. Lombard St.) during a three-day period: 

• Thursday, June 25 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Friday, June 26 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Saturday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CAP will provide trained HIV testers to conduct the testing and will provide results on-site within 15 minutes. 

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that all Americans be screened for HIV as a routine part of medical care, many Americans have never been tested or are not being tested as often as recommended, according to national surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation.  Of the more than 1.2 million people living with HIV in the U.S., an estimated one in seven do not know that they are infected and only three in 10 are in ongoing care and treatment.  From 2005 to 2013, Oregon diagnosed an average of 259 new HIV cases per year. Between 2008-2012, half of those diagnosed with HIV were Multnomah County residents. 

“Everyone should know their HIV status, regardless of their risk, and get tested at least once a year” said Caitlin Wells, Director of Prevention & Education here at CAP.  “For individuals who are at higher risk of HIV infection, testing with more frequency is recommended. CAP encourages folks to talk with their health care provider about their risk for HIV as part of your routine care.  Everyone is welcome to visit CAP for free and rapid HIV testing—we have testing options that work for everyone.”

“Walgreens is committed to being a part of the solution to end AIDS, and National HIV Testing Day provides a great opportunity to help share critical health information and encourage HIV testing,” said Glen Pietrandoni, senior director of virology, specialty products and services at Walgreens. “Working in collaboration with Greater Than AIDS and various community partners during the past four years, we have helped nearly 20,000 people across the country access free testing.  We are pleased to be able to continue to help make it easier for those in the communities that we serve to know their status.” 

“We have come so far in our understanding of HIV,” said Tina Hoff, senior vice president and director of health communication and media partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Today, there are very effective treatments that not only help people with HIV to enjoy long, healthy lives but also significantly reduce the chances of passing the virus to others. Knowing one’s status is a crucial first step.”

I Got Tested: What’s Next, a new 8-page informational guide from Greater Than AIDS and Walgreens will be distributed at the testing events in June. For a complete list of participating Walgreen locations visit www.greaterthan.org/walgreens. Visit our Get Tested page to learn more about the HIV/STD testing options CAP offers.