PEP—post-exposure prophylaxis—is medication to prevent acquiring HIV after a possible exposure. PEP must be started within 72 hours of possible exposure.
Immediately contact your health care provider, an urgent care provider or an emergency room about PEP if you think you’ve recently been exposed to HIV:
- during sex (for example, if the condom broke)
- if unsure of partner’s status
- through sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs (for example, cookers)
- as a result of sexual assault
The sooner you start PEP, the better. Every hour counts. If you’re prescribed PEP, you’ll need to take it daily for 28 days.
PEP is primarily for unexpected exposures to HIV; it is not a substitute for regular HIV prevention methods—namely, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). As such, PEP is not the best option for people who may have frequent exposure to HIV. These individuals would do well to talk with their health care provider about PrEP.
If taken within 72 hours after possible exposure, PEP is highly effective in preventing HIV. But to be safe, you should take other actions to protect your partners while you are taking PEP. This includes using condoms with sexual partners and not sharing needles, syringes or other equipment to inject drugs.
PEP is safe but may cause side effects such as nausea in some people. In nearly all cases, these side effects can be treated and aren’t life-threatening.
Health insurance covers most costs for PEP. If you are uninsured or under-insured you can utilize a copay card.
To find an HIV specialist, check the referral list of the American Academy for HIV Medicine: providers.aahivm.org/referral-link-search or call (202) 659-0699.
The CDC has a YouTube video about PEP basics: bit.ly/CDC-PEP-basics.