PrEP: questions and answers

PrEP is a pill that is taken once a day and helps prevent HIV infection.

PrEP is an antiretroviral drug which helps HIV negative people stay negative. When taken daily, PrEP has been shown to reduce the chance of getting HIV by more than 90%.

All three contain antiretroviral medicines in different combination for different purposes:

• 
  
• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a pill that has two anti-HIV medicines taken daily to prevent HIV for HIV negative people.
• 
  
• PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a pill containing three anti-HIV medicines taken within 72 hours after exposure to HIV (e.g. after rape) for 28 days to prevent HIV
• 
  
• ART (antiretroviral therapy) is a 3-medicine treatment for HIV-positive people to reduce the levels of HIV in a person’s body

PrEP is only taken by people who are HIV negative. PrEP is only recommended for HIV-negative people who are at high risk of getting HIV.

Taking a pill every day for ongoing protection from HIV might not be for everybody, but it is an excellent option for people at high risk of getting HIV. Most people can safely use PrEP, but a healthcare provider will provide you with information to help determine whether you should take PrEP.

If you forget to take the pill, take it as soon as you remember and continue to take it consistently daily.

No, it is important to take PrEP daily if you feel that you are at high risk of being infected with HIV. But if you feel that you are no longer at high risk, you should consult your health care worker before you stop.

If you feel that you no longer need PrEP, talk to your health care provider before you stop. They will tell you about other HIV prevention options.

No, you should take PrEP daily for it to work effectively.

No, PrEP does not protect against pregnancy and Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs). PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV. Use it together with condom to prevent STIs and pregnancy.

Yes! PrEP is very safe.

You take one PrEP pill once a day. It helps to take the pill at the same time each day.

Yes, PrEP can be taken with any other contraceptive methods.

Never, it is important not to share your PrEP pills.

All medicines potentially have some side effects. Most are minor and can be tolerated. These side effects differ with different people. Some people get mild side effects when they start PrEP. The most common side effects associated with PrEP medicines include nausea, headache, tiredness, diarrhea, depression, tiredness, and changes in appetite. Only one person in ten people could have side effects and, in most people, these side effects go away within a few weeks.

PrEP should not be used as HIV treatment. For PrEP we use two ARV medicines while HIV positive people need a combination of three antiretroviral drugs for treatment. Thus, using PrEP medicines means treatment is sub-optimal and the person will develop treatment failure and possibly resistance to ARV medicines. PrEP works when used together with other effective HIV prevention methods. It does not prevent STIs or pregnancy.

PrEP is an additional HIV prevention option. No single HIV prevention method is 100% effective and PrEP is no exception thus where possible, should be used in combination with other methods such as condoms. Using condoms is an effective way to prevent HIV infection. Condoms protect against STIs and pregnancy when used correctly and consistently.

When taken every day, PrEP is safe and highly effective in preventing HIV infection. PrEP reaches maximum protection from HIV for receptive anal sex at about seven days of daily use. For receptive vaginal sex and injection drug use, PrEP reaches maximum protection at about 20 days of daily use.

When taken daily and consistently, PrEP can reduce the risk of getting HIV by 90%.

There are no known interactions between PrEP medicines and alcohol. However, drinking too much may lead you to forget to take your medicine on time. In this case, it is usually best to take your pill before you start drinking.

Yes, there are tests that must be conducted before you can take PrEP. The first test is to confirm that you are HIV-negative through a rapid HIV test. There are other tests that are required to confirm if you have Hepatitis B and to establish the state of your kidney, but you can usually start PrEP before getting the results of these last two tests.