Atlanta Walmarts to offer free HIV test kits

A telemedicine company is launching a pilot program at seven Atlanta-area Walmart stores to provide free at-home HIV tests.

Why it matters: It's estimated that 40% of new diagnoses of the human immunodeficiency virus are transmitted by people who don't know they're infected, according to the National Institute for Health.

The big picture: Southern states had 52% of HIV infections in 2021. The Atlanta metro area had the third-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. during 2021 — more than 25 of every 100,000 people.

• Georgia's overall diagnoses rate was 27.4 during 2022 , highest in the U.S.

Zoom in: Arkansas' rate that year was 11.9, compared to 13.3 nationwide.

How it works: MISTR , based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said customers can ask for a testing kit at the participating Walmart pharmacies, follow instructions and receive their results in 5-7 days. The company will offer a connection to health care services if results are positive.

• Stores are in Atlanta, Decatur, Ellenwood, Stockbridge and Morrow.

Backstory: Tristan Schukraft founded MISTR to help friends get access to PReP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) drugs, which can reduce the risk of getting HIV by as much as 99%.

• The company began prescribing DoxyPEP — an antibiotic that can help prevent sexually transmitted infections after exposure — in April.

What they're saying: "For the first time in a generation, you can eliminate HIV if all of those that are negative are on PrEP and all those that are positive are virally suppressed," Schukraft told Axios.

What we're watching: MISTR calls the effort in Georgia a pilot and Schukraft hopes he can expand the offer of free tests. "I would love to roll it out nationally," he said.

• Walmart's footprint could help make testing for HIV more accessible to people in rural communities, Schukraft said.