The online virtual PrEP clinic has been in the USA for about a year, but is now servicing every state in its latest expansion…
Calgary-based company Freddie is about to help more 2SLGBTQI+ people across the United States with a new expansion. Canada’s top provider of HIV prevention services, is growing its USA operations from 35 states to all 50, working with non-profits to distribute the medication.
“This milestone isn’t just about scale — it’s about impact,” says Amaan Banwait, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Freddie, on LinkedIn. Freddie’s impact in both countries has been significant as it prevents “one new case of HIV every two days.”
Banwait says bringing Freddie’s mission to the United States was based on a statistic that shook him to his core in 2020. After reading a CDC statistic stating that one in two gay Black men in the American South will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime, he knew Freddie needed to find a way to expand into the USA. “More than 50 per cent of the Americans who sign up with Freddie identify as racialized,” his LinkedIn post reads.
Starting in Virginia last year, the brand slowly entered 35 other states and quickly became the top rated PrEP provider in America.
What is Freddie?
Freddie opened with the purpose of creating a healthcare model that fits the lives of 2SLGBTQI+ people. It also wanted to eliminate any stigma and judgement queer people might face from primary care personnel. The online virtual PrEP clinic was opened by PurposeMed in July 2020.
Beyond PrEP, Freddie also offers DoxyPEP, which is a medication that reduces the risk of contracting some STIs. They also now have in-person services in Calgary, Toronto and Saskatoon.
How else has Freddie been in expanding its services?
In July, Freddie announced a partnership with the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA). The collaboration introduces a care hub model that combines public, private, and non-profit expertise. The model provides access to “fully integrated virtual and in-person HIV care, delivered by specialists in a trusted community setting.” It will also expand HIV services and deliver a new care pathway covering treatment, prevention and other supports.
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