PrEP is a daily medication taken to prevent people from getting HIV. It is prescribed to those at high risk of exposure to the HIV virus through sexual activity or sharing injection drug equipment.

No. A vaccine is taken once and teaches your body to fight off infections for a long period of time. PrEP needs to be taken in pill form every day to be effective. If you do not take PrEP every day, there won't be enough medicine in your body to prevent the HIV virus from spreading.

Right now, there are two drugs approved by the FDA for use as PrEP. Those are Truvada and Descovy. Truvada is recommended to prevent HIV for all people at risk through sex or injection drug use. Descovy is recommended for those at risk through sex excluding people at risk through receptive vaginal sex.

These drugs are manufactured by Gilead.

No. PrEP only helps prevent HIV. It does not prevent against other sexually transmitted infections.

Like with any other medicine, there are potential side effects when taking PrEP. Common side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, or headaches. These side effects are usually temporary, and stop after a few weeks. Talk to your health care provider if you experience side effects that last longer or impact your life significantly.

No significant health effects have been seen in those who have taken PrEP for more than 5 years and who do not have HIV.

When taken as directed, PrEP works the same for all people. However, keep in mind that it takes time for PrEP to be absorbed into your body. For those having vaginal intercourse, you should wait at least 20 days from starting the medication for maximum effectiveness. For those having rectal intercourse, you should wait at least 7 days.

PrEP is only necessary to prevent HIV if you are at greater risk of getting HIV. If you no longer are at greater risk, you can stop taking PrEP. If at some point in the future you become at-risk again, you can start taking it again. Always discuss changing medications with your health care provider.

Until recently, the FDA had only approved Truvada for use as PrEP. Recently, Descovy was also approved for use. Descovy has only been tested for prevention during receptive rectal intercourse and not for vaginal intercourse. If you are currently taking Truvada without issue, it is probably not necessary to switch, but you should always talk to your health care provider.

Some studies have shown that taking PrEP 4 days of the week is as effective as taking PrEP 7 days a week for those interested in HIV prevention during sex. This has led some providers to offer "On Demand PrEP" or "2-1-1 PrEP Dosing" that prescribes two pills up to 24 hours before a sexual encounter and then one the following day and the fourth pill two days after the encounter.

However, daily dosing is currently the only FDA approved dosing schedule. This is the only dosing schedule offered at CHC.

PEP is Post Exposure Prophylaxis. It is a drug regimen taken after potential exposure to HIV through sexual contact or during the sharing of injection drug equipment.

PEP is available at CHC but timing is critical. It must be started within 3 days or 72 hours after the potential exposure. If taken after this window, it may have no benefit at all. Our PrEP Navigator can answer your questions about this, but if you think you have been exposed you may need to go to your nearest hospital emergency room to save time.