PrEP Information
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a medicine for HIV negative people. It is a pill taken before sex to protect the transmission of HIV.
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV)
About PEP
PEP is an emergency form of treatment which aims to reduce your risk of becoming infected with HIV after a potential exposure to HIV.
PEP involves a 4 week course of HIV treatment that helps prevent someone from HIV infection.
PEP is for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to HIV. Some of the most common reasons for needing PEP medication include:
- Having condomless anal sex or if the condom breaks/slips off during sex with someone who has or may have HIV and is not on HIV treatment.
- Sharing needles or syringes with a person who has or may have HIV
Take action!
If you believe you’ve been exposed to HIV, you should start PEP as soon as possible, ideally within a few hours after the risk event. If it is not started within 72 hours (3 days) of exposure to HIV it is likely that the drug will be ineffective.
You can access PEP for free from your nearest sexual health clinic or A&E department.
Your other options:
U=U
Being HIV positive and having an undetectable viral load means you won’t pass on HIV to your partners. When a HIV positive person takes their treatment, within 6 months, they can become undetectable.
Condoms
Condoms are the number one way of protecting yourself from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, syphilis, viral hepatitis and chlamydia.
Testing
Most HIV transmission occurs from people who think they are HIV negative, but are living with undiagnosed HIV. This is because when someone is diagnosed, they are offered treatment soon after which reduces the virus to clinically undetectable and untransmittable levels.