An innovative cooperation between Mistr, an internet telemedicine company, and Walmart is set to begin a trial program that will give away free at-home HIV testing kits at seven Walmart shops in Georgia. This program is a major step in improving community accessibility and convenience of HIV testing.

Mistr, a trailblazing telemedicine platform founded in 2018 by Tristan Schukraft, offers access to the HIV prevention medication PrEP, the STI prevention medication DOXYPep, and comprehensive long-term HIV treatment. With funding from partnerships with community benefit organizations, Mistr has already provided services to about 350,000 users, demonstrating its significant influence in the telemedicine and HIV prevention fields.
Retail and pharmacy businesses such as CVS and Walgreens have historically periodically offered free HIV testing. But Schukraft made clear to Modern Retail that these essential services must be provided regularly all year long. Georgia’s high transmission rates and status as a priority jurisdiction in the federal campaign to end the HIV epidemic were the reasons Georgia was selected to host the Walmart experiment.

Experienced businessman Schukraft, whose endeavors in the hospitality industry include hotels and nightclubs like Los Angeles’ The Abbey, recognized the difficulties online companies confront in expanding their presence on sites like Meta. This constraint compelled Mistr to investigate the retail industry as a tactical means of broadening their scope and guaranteeing that a greater number of people take use of their offerings.
After all, Schukraft clarified, we are a direct-to-consumer business. Since not everyone can be reached by online advertisements, dating apps, or Instagram, retail was the next logical industry for us to enter.

The pilot program will be initially implemented in Atlanta, Stockbridge, Decatur, Ellenwood, and Morrow, Georgia. This development comes after Walmart recently decided to close all 51 of its health care clinics across five states, while a representative from the company was not available to comment on the launch. CEO Doug McMillon blamed the closures on challenges in attaining profitability because of reimbursement rates and service providing expenses during the company’s May 16 earnings call. Walmart has demonstrated its commitment to improving access to healthcare, even in the face of these closures, by expanding its pharmacy network and adding on-site testing for Covid-19, the flu, and strep throat.
Walmart will use its large consumer base to boost awareness and accessibility, while Mistr will pay for the HIV test kits and processing under the new pilot initiative. After mailing their finished exams to Mistr, customers will receive their results and be notified about PrEP and other pertinent services. Schukraft stated that Walmart understands the importance of offering this service at no cost.

General partner Anarghya Vardhana of the consumer health investment firm Maveron stressed the importance of at-home testing companies in expanding health care access in a way that appeals to modern customers. The Covid-19 pandemic has standardized the idea of ordering tests online or from pharmacies, which has increased acceptance and convenience for in-home testing for a range of health issues.
Vardhana said, “It almost became a daily thing.” Additionally, it changed the consumer’s perspective on in-home testing for various purposes. Would I want to pay a high premium and maybe have my insurance denied if I had to wait six or eight weeks to see my doctor? Alternatively, I could just purchase a test from Walmart or online.

Vardhana did, however, also emphasize how crucial it is to have medical professionals on hand to go over test results with patients and make sure they comprehend their treatment strategies. Clinical guardrails, in her words, are crucial.

Those who test negative for HIV at Mistr will be able to receive PrEP by video calling a doctor. If a test is positive, a patient care coordinator and a doctor will follow up with the individual to discuss treatment options and arrange long-term care. The majority of Mistr’s clientele—roughly 70%—have insurance, which usually pays for preventive treatments like PrEP or HIV treatment drugs. Mistr collaborates with over 65 groups across the country to help defray costs for individuals who have co-pays or no insurance. The federal government’s strategy to combat the HIV epidemic, which includes testing, prevention, and treatment, depends heavily on these partnerships.

According to Schukraft, they may lack expertise in direct-to-consumer marketing and internet distribution, but they excel at servicing the community. That’s the contribution we make.

Although the number of new HIV infections has decreased over the previous five years, the CDC predicted that 31,800 new cases would occur in 2022. The national objective is to get this figure down to 3,000 by 2030 and 9,300 by the following year. Reaching these goals is thought to require using platforms like Mistr to increase access to PrEP. If Schukraft’s Walmart pilot program is a success, he intends to get funds to expand it to more sites. Mistr has six storefront-style sites that provide in-person services in addition to its partnership with Walmart.

Schukraft remarked, “We’re advancing quite well.” I get asked all the time if I think Mistr has developed well. That’s the ultimate aim, even though I’m ecstatic, until we get everyone on PrEP or—more importantly—end HIV.