What is PrEP?
PrEP is a medicine you can take to protect you from getting HIV from sex or injection drug use and it is extremely effective when you take the pill correctly. So you don’t need to worry about your own status or your sexual partner’s HIV status.
PrEP is a form of protection for people who do not have HIV but who are at substantial risk of getting it.
Questions and answers
What does the name PrEP mean?
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. ‘pre’ is something you do before a risk of exposure (in this case to HIV), ‘prophylaxis’ is a treatment or action you can take to help prevent disease.
What is HIV?
HIV (human immunodeciency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeciency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partners.
Listing the facts
Facts
PrEP only protects you against HIV.
PrEP only protects you against HIV.
Other precautions are still necessary
To reduce your risk of contracting other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and hepatitis C, you need to take other precautions. Ask your doctor or sexual health clinic for more information.
Regular STI and HIV testing is recommended every three months.
Regular STI and HIV testing is recommended every three months.
All sorts of benefits
The benefits of PrEP
Taking PrEP has all sorts of benefits. The following lists explains some of the benefits.
- Protection
- You’re protecting yourself, so you don’t have to worry about the status of your partner(s)
- No condoms
- You can have sex without condoms in a variety of situations.
- Stay HIV negative
- The perfect way to stay HIV negative.
- Beneficial
- If you’re struggling to maintain your HIV negative status for whatever reason, it can offer huge benefits.
- Empowerment and control
- When you’re particularly a receptive partner, it offers you empowerment and control.
- Science-backed
- PrEP is a well-studied, evidence-based method of avoiding HIV transmission.
Tricks of the trade
How to take PrEP?
It depends on how far in advance you plan to have sex and how regularly and not necessarily how much sex you have. Take only 1 pill every day. If you take more than 1 pill a day it could be harmful. Remember to take your pill at the same time every day and get into a routine, keep your pill bottle visible at a safe place.
