CLINICAL ROLE OF THE PHARMACIST IN HIV TESTING UNDER ANVISA RESOLUTION RDC No. 978/2025

Abstract

The history of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in Brazil in recent years has transitioned from being a death sentence to a chronic disease treated through Antiretroviral Therapy provided by the SUS (Unified Health System). However, late diagnosis remains a barrier to achieving the 95-95-95 targets established by UNAIDS for 2030. Thus, this article analyzes the strategic importance of the pharmacist in performing HIV rapid tests in community pharmacies, supported by ANVISA Resolution RDC No. 978/2025, which classifies pharmacies as Type I Services. Through a literature review, scientific articles and normative documents were analyzed. The results demonstrate that the pharmacist acts on the front line as a public health agent, performing screening, counseling, and referral to the specialized care network. It is concluded that the decentralization of rapid testing to pharmacies reduces barriers to access and stigmas. The pharmacist plays an essential role in promoting Combined Prevention and disseminating the concept Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U), ensuring greater efficacy in the initial identification of the HIV virus in Brazil.