PrEP

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective HIV prevention strategy for individuals at increased risk of acquiring HIV. It involves taking a daily oral medication or receiving long-acting injectable treatment to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection. When used consistently and correctly, PrEP can lower the risk of sexual transmission of HIV by about 99% and reduce the risk among people who inject drugs by at least 74%. PrEP is a vital tool in ending the HIV epidemic, particularly for underserved communities disproportionately impacted by HIV, including African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+ populations, and others facing structural barriers to care. It empowers individuals to take control of their sexual health and complements other prevention strategies such as condom use and regular HIV/STI testing.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective HIV prevention strategy for individuals at increased risk of acquiring HIV. It involves taking a daily oral medication or receiving long-acting injectable treatment to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection. When used consistently and correctly, PrEP can lower the risk of sexual transmission of HIV by about 99% and reduce the risk among people who inject drugs by at least 74%. PrEP is a vital tool in ending the HIV epidemic, particularly for underserved communities disproportionately impacted by HIV, including African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+ populations, and others facing structural barriers to care. It empowers individuals to take control of their sexual health and complements other prevention strategies such as condom use and regular HIV/STI testing.

  • What is PrEP? PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis, a preventive treatment that helps protect HIV-negative individuals from acquiring HIV.
  • How does it work? PrEP involves taking antiretroviral medication (oral pills like Truvada or Descovy, or long-acting injectable Apretude) before potential HIV exposure to stop the virus from establishing an infection.
  • Effectiveness: Daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of sexual HIV transmission by about 99%, and injectable PrEP provides comparable protection with bimonthly dosing.