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What is PrEP?

PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is medicine people at risk for HIV take to prevent getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout your body.

Currently, there are two FDA-approved daily oral medications for PrEP. There are also two FDA-approved long-acting injectable forms of PrEP, one that is administered every other month and the other is administered twice yearly.

Why Take PrEP?

PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV when taken as indicated.

PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed. Among people who inject drugs, it reduces the risk by at least 74% when taken as prescribed. PrEP is much less effective when it isn’t taken consistently.

Is PrEP Right for You?

PrEP may benefit you if you test negative for HIV and any of the following apply to you:

  • you have had anal or vaginal sex in the past 6 months, and you:
  • have a sexual partner with HIV (especially if the partner has an unknown or detectable viral load), or
  • have not consistently used a condom, or
  • have been diagnosed with an STD in the past 6 months.

Or

  • you inject drugs and
  • have an injection partner with HIV, or
  • share needles, syringes, or other injection equipment.

Or

  • you’ve been prescribed PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and you
    • report continued risk behavior or
    • have used multiple courses of PEP

You may choose to take PrEP even if the behaviors above don’t apply to you. Talk to your health care provider.

If you have a partner with HIV and are considering getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about PrEP. PrEP may be an option to help protect you and your baby from getting HIV while you try to get pregnant, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.

What Drugs Are Approved for 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 versionsExit Disclaimer are also available.
  • Descovy® (emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) is for sexually active men at risk of getting HIV. Descovy® is not for women who are at risk for HIV through receptive vaginal sex.

Two long-acting injectable forms of PrEP have also been approved by the FDA:

  • Apretude® (cabotegravir) is for adults and adolescents at risk for HIV through sex who weigh at least 77 pounds (35 kg). It’s an injection given by your health care provider every other month instead of daily oral pills.
  • Yeztugo® (lenacapavir) is for adults and adolescents at risk of HIV through sex who weigh at least 77 pounds (35 kg). It is an injection given by your health care provider twice yearly instead of daily pills. The starter dose includes oral pills taken for the first two days to get the medication concentration in the body up to protective levels quickly.