Telemedicine platform Nurx, which offers a quick consultation with medical providers who can prescribe birth control and HIV-prevention prescriptions, has officially launched its services in Georgia and Tennessee. Currently, more than 19 million women in America live in “contraceptive deserts,” meaning they don’t have access to a public clinic in their county that offers the full range of contraceptive methods.
“State by state, we are launching Nurx to create equity in healthcare access for all Americans through this urgent telehealth option,” said Hans Gangeskar, co-founder and CEO of Nurd, in a statement.
The platform provides an end-to-end digital health experience for customers. Patients have access to board-certified physicians to ask questions about different options, and can be prescribed a 3-month prescription supply at a time. It has over 50 different brands of birth control available, along with emergency contraception and the HIV-prevention drugs PrEP, which has been shown to be up to 99% effective at preventing transmission of the HIV virus when taken as directed.
Patients fill out a simple questionnaire and scan their ID, both of which are reviewed by a doctor. If the providers have any questions, they can speak with the customer through text-based messaging or video call.
Nurx is not for everyone, says company representatives, as many patients have more complicated medical histories that should be discussed with a doctor that knows their background. The service is best for patients who have an idea of what prescriptions they need.
After acceptance, the supply is mailed right to the customer — for free if they have full-coverage insurance — or for as low as $15.
“The CDC predicts that one in five Georgians will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime,” said Jessica Horwitz, Medical Director at Nurx, in a statement. “Health disparities like this are unacceptable. Especially when we know that comprehensive education and PrEP access can significantly reduce new HIV infection rates.”
The Y-Combinator alum startup, founded in California, launched in 2015. It is now available in 20 states with the recent additions of Georgia and Tennessee, making the service available to more than 70 percent of the U.S. population. This past July, Nurx closed a $36 million funding round led by Kleiner Perkins earmarked for further expansion, and added Chelsea Clinton to its board of directors.
So far, Nurx has contracted two physicians in Georgia, and plans to add more medical providers to the local roster.
