PrEP for HIV

What is PrEP for HIV?

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine that reduces your chances of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.

Are there different types of PrEP?

PrEP can be pills or shots.

There are two pills approved for use as PrEP: Truvada® and Descovy®.

  • Truvada® is for people at risk through sex or injection drug use. 

  • Descovy® is for people at risk through sex. Descovy is not for people assigned female at birth who are at risk for HIV through receptive vaginal sex.

Apretude is the only shot approved for use as PrEP. Apretude is for people at risk through sex who weigh at least 77 pounds (35 kg).


Can anyone switch from pills to shots?

Talk to your health care provider about switching from PrEP pills to shots. PrEP shots may be right for you if you do not have HIV and have no known allergy to the medicines in the shot. If you decide to switch from PrEP pills to shots, you’ll need to visit your health care provider regularly to receive your shot. You’ll also need to be tested for HIV prior to each PrEP shot.


Is PrEP safe?

  • PrEP is safe, but some people experience side effects like diarrhea, nausea, headache, fatigue, and stomach pain. These side effects usually go away over time.

  • Tell your health care provider about any side effects that are severe or do not go away.

  • Learn more about side effects from Truvada®, Descovy®, and Apretude.

How effective is PrEP for HIV?

PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.

  • PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.

  • Although there is less information about how effective PrEP pills are among people who inject drugs, we know that PrEP pills reduce the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken as prescribed. Currently, PrEP shots are not recommended for people who inject drugs.

  • PrEP is less effective when not taken as prescribed


How long does PrEP take to work?

  • For receptive anal sex (bottoming), PrEP pills reach maximum protection from HIV at about 7 days of daily use.

  • For receptive vaginal sex and injection drug use, PrEP pills reach maximum protection at about 21 days of daily use.

  • No data are available for PrEP pill effectiveness for insertive anal sex (topping) or insertive vaginal sex.

  • We don’t know how long it takes for PrEP shots to reach maximum protection during sex.

How can I start PrEP?

Talk to your health care provider if you think PrEP may be right for you. PrEP can be prescribed by any health care provider who is licensed to write prescriptions.

Before beginning PrEP, you must take an HIV test to make sure you don’t have HIV.

  • While taking PrEP, you’ll have to visit your health care provider routinely as recommended for follow-up visits, HIV tests, and prescription refills or shots.

  • Ask your health care provider about mail-in HIV tests and telehealth services for follow-up visits.


If you don’t have a health care provider, we recommend contacting one of the following local PrEP providers for assistance:


Can I start PrEP or continue taking PrEP without in-person visits to a provider?

With telehealth (phone or video consultation with a health care provider) and mail-in HIV tests, it is possible to order a specimen collection kit which contains the supplies to do the testing required to start or continue taking PrEP pills, even if an in-person appointment is not possible. If you are receiving PrEP shots, you’ll need to visit your health care provider for your shot.


What if I need to stop taking PrEP?

There are several reasons why people stop taking PrEP:

  • Your risk of getting HIV becomes low because of changes in your life.

  • You don’t want to take a pill as prescribed or often forget to take your pills.

  • You can’t visit your health care provider to receive your shots routinely as recommended.

  • You have side effects from the medicine that are interfering with your life.

  • Blood tests show that your body is reacting to PrEP in unsafe ways.

Talk to your health care provider about other HIV prevention methods that may work better for you.


If I stopped taking PrEP, how do I start taking it again?

Tell your health care provider that you would like to start taking PrEP again. You will need to take an HIV test before you start PrEP to make sure you don’t have HIV.


Can I take PrEP just once, if I think I might have recently been exposed to HIV?

  • PrEP is for people who are at ongoing risk for HIV.

  • PrEP is not the right choice for people who may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours.

  • If you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, talk to your health care provider, an emergency room doctor, or an urgent care provider about PEP [post-exposure prophylaxis].

How can I pay for PrEP?

Most insurance plans and state Medicaid programs cover PrEP. Under the Affordable Care Act, PrEP must be free under almost all health insurance plans. That means you can’t be charged for your PrEP medication or the clinic visits and lab tests you need to maintain your prescription.

If you don’t have insurance or Medicaid coverage, there are other programs that provide PrEP for free or at a reduced cost:

  • Ready, Set, PrEP makes PrEP medication available at no cost to those who qualify.

  • Co-pay assistance programs help lower the costs of PrEP medications. Income is not a factor in eligibility.

  • ViiVConnect offers a program to help pay for PrEP shots.

  • Some states have PrEP assistance programs. Some programs cover PrEP medication, while others cover clinical visits and lab tests. Some programs cover both.

  • Each of the local PrEP providers in Erie County can provide assistance with how to cover the cost of your PrEP medication.

Why do I need to take PrEP as prescribed?

  • You must take PrEP as prescribed for it to work.

  • If you do not take PrEP as prescribed, there may not be enough medicine in your bloodstream to block the virus.

  • The right amount of medicine in your bloodstream can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading in your body.


Can I take PrEP while on birth control?

There are no known interactions between PrEP and hormone-based birth control methods, e.g., the pill, patch, ring, shot, implant, or IUD. It is safe to use both at the same time.


Will PrEP interfere with my hormone therapy?

There are no known drug conflicts between PrEP and hormone therapy, and there is no reason why the drugs cannot be taken at the same time.


Can I stop using condoms if I take PrEP?