Understanding PrEP for HIV Prevention
PrEP FAQ
How effective is prep?
Simply put, Dr. Hekman says, “PrEP is incredibly effective, but only if you take it as prescribed.” HIV.gov reports that when taken correctly, the pill forms of PrEP reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99%, and it reduces the risk of getting HIV from drug use by at least 74%.
What are the different types of prep?
PrEP can be pills or shots. There are two pills approved for daily use as PrEP. They are combinations of two anti-HIV drugs in a single pill: Truvada® (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is for all people at risk for HIV through sex or injection drug use. Generic versions are also available.
How does prep work?
Drugs used for PrEP belong to a class of antiviral medications called nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). They work by stopping the virus from multiplying in your body. Before starting PrEP, and at least every 3 months while you’re taking the medication, you will need to be tested for HIV and have a negative test result.
Is Prep a brand?
PrEP isn’t a particular brand; rather, it’s a category. Right now, there are three types of PrEP: Truvada® is a daily pill that combines two drugs called tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine. It’s for anyone who’s at risk of contracting HIV through sex or injection drug use, and it’s also available in generic form.
What is prep & how does it work?
It’s called PrEP. What is PrEP? PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. This is a way of protecting yourself from getting HIV by taking a tablet once a day every day. PrEP does not prevent you from other infections that you can get when having sex, so it is still important to use condoms to be protected from these.
What is PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis)?
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a tablet that reduces the risk of becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Each PrEP tablet contains two antiretroviral medications – tenofovir and emtricitabine. PrEP can be taken by people who are HIV-negative (do not have HIV) and at risk of HIV exposure.
Does prep prevent HIV infection?
When used as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV infection. Unlike PEP ( post-exposure prophylaxis ), which is taken after a potential exposure to HIV, at least the first dose of PrEP needs to be taken before a potential HIV exposure.
Is prep safe?
PrEP is a safe and well-tolerated drug and has been approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for use by people who are HIV negative and at risk of HIV. If taken as prescribed, PrEP reduces the risk of HIV transmission by almost 100%.
PrEP References
If you want to know more about PrEP, consider exploring links below:
What Is PrEP
- https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/Pre-exposure-prophylaxis-PrEP
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-prep-and-who-should-take-it
- https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/hiv-prevention/hiv-prep
- https://endinghiv.org.au/stay-safe/prep/
- https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/pre-exposure-prophylaxis-for-HIV-prevention
- https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-prevention/using-hiv-medication-to-reduce-risk/pre-exposure-prophylaxis
- https://getprepd.org.au/what-is-prep/
- https://www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hiv/prevention/pre-exposure-prophylaxis