TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 6, 2026 – Freddie, one of North America’s leading 2SLGBTQ+ healthcare platforms, today announced a new partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to launch PrEP it Forward, an initiative that connects HIV prevention efforts in North America with expanded access to long-acting HIV prevention across Africa.

Through the program, every person who starts PrEP through Freddie in Canada or the United States will fund one six-month dose of lenacapavir, the breakthrough twice-yearly injectable form of PrEP, for someone in Africa, delivered through CHAI's existing partnerships with government HIV programs already reaching patients on the ground.

The partnership brings together Freddie's expertise in expanding access to PrEP across North America with CHAI's longstanding work to improve access to innovations in HIV care globally, creating a model that links every new PrEP start through Freddie to increase access to HIV prevention in Africa.

"From the beginning, we knew Freddie's mission couldn't stop in North America," said Amaan Banwait, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at PurposeMed, Freddie's parent company. "Our first responsibility was building access to PrEP across Canada and the U.S., but we always envisioned a future where every step forward we took could help someone else gain access to care. As we became a leader in offering injectable PrEP, partnering with CHAI felt like a natural next step because they're doing the same work globally that we've been focused on here at home."

The partnership was informed by Freddie's growing leadership in injectable PrEP, including lenacapavir and CHAI's work accelerating access to the medication across low- and middle-income countries. Existing relationships, including team members with previous experience at CHAI and conversations between leadership at both organizations, helped bring the collaboration to life.

"We're excited about this partnership because it does something genuinely new: it turns one person's decision to protect their own health into protection for someone thousands of miles away," said Dr. Neil Buddy Shah, CEO of CHAI. "Freddie built its work protecting people from HIV in North America, and now they're extending that protection to people at risk across the world. Every person who starts PrEP through Freddie helps protect someone at risk in Africa. With a breakthrough like lenacapavir — nearly 100 percent effective, and now more affordable thanks to CHAI and our partners — that solidarity is how we end the HIV epidemic everywhere ."

Although significant advances have transformed care, HIV remains a significant public health challenge. New HIV diagnoses continue to rise across North America, and many countries in sub-Saharan Africa continue to experience some of the world's highest HIV incidence rates. At the same time, fewer than one in four people who could benefit from PrEP currently receive it, and access to long-acting options like lenacapavir remains constrained by affordability and supply in many parts of the world.

"Lenacapavir has the potential to fundamentally change HIV prevention because it removes one of the biggest barriers people face with PrEP, the need to take a pill every single day," said Banwait. "We've seen firsthand how transformative this innovation can be for patients in North America. Through this partnership, we have an opportunity to help accelerate access globally by supporting an organization with the expertise, relationships and infrastructure to bring this medication to the communities that need it most."

While PrEP has often been associated primarily with the 2SLGBTQ+ community in North America, a community Freddie has proudly served since its founding, the global HIV epidemic affects a wide range of populations, including women and many underserved communities. Through PrEP it Forward, Freddie hopes to broaden public understanding that HIV prevention is for anyone who could benefit from it.

"People are increasingly aware that access to healthcare isn't something everyone can take for granted," added Banwait. "If you're fortunate enough to have access to care, this campaign gives you a simple way to help someone else access that same opportunity. We also hope it broadens the conversation around who PrEP is for. Freddie will always be proud of our roots serving the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but HIV doesn't affect just one population. Prevention should be available to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of where they live."

Freddie and CHAI will celebrate the program's early impact on December 1, 2026, in recognition of World AIDS Day, with a special event planned in the United States, at a location to be announced soon. The gathering will bring together healthcare leaders, advocates, partners and supporters to mark the initiative's progress and highlight the shared commitment to making HIV prevention more equitable around the world.

To learn more about PrEP it Forward or to start PrEP, visit gofreddie.com.

 

About Freddie

Freddie (gofreddie.com) is the #1-rated online PrEP clinic in North America, and a leading telehealth platform built for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. With over 50,000 patients served across North America, Freddie provides accessible, judgment-free care across HIV prevention, sexual health, and an expanding range of health treatments through a seamless mix of online and in-person care. Freddie currently operates across Canada in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as across all 50 U.S. states, helping patients access affirming healthcare without the traditional barriers often associated with care.

 

About Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems. For more information, please visit: www.clintonhealthaccess.org

 

Media Contact

Tony Koutoulas
Media Specialist, Freddie
[email protected]

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