PrEP
You can safely prevent HIV transmission with PrEP
PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medication taken by HIV-negative people before and after sex to reduce the risk of getting HIV. PrEP only protects you from HIV and does not protect you from any other STIs, or pregnancy.
PrEP is available for free on the NHS through local sexual health (GUM) clinics. You can find a list of clinics offering PrEP in England here. Positive East can also support you with accessing PrEP, by contacting clinics on your behalf.
Before starting PrEP
Before starting PrEP you will need to:
- Test for HIV to ensure you are HIV negative
- Have a kidney function blood test – note that the PrEP available on the NHS is not suitable for those with kidney function issues
These tests may be repeated after you have been taking PrEP for 6 weeks.
How to take PrEP
There are different ways to take PrEP depending on the sex you are having and how regularly you are having sex.
If you live in North East London* you can now get PrEP online, as well as in the sexual health clinics.
(*Barking & Dagenham, City & Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest)
This pilot is a partnership between the local authorities, Positive East, The Love Tank, Preventx, All East sexual health services and Homerton sexual health services.
To get PrEP online you’ll need to follow these steps!
1) Sign up and answer some triage questions
If you are already registered with Sexual Health London (SHL) you can access the PrEP service through your account HERE.
Enter your SHL log-in details, complete the triage questions and order test kits as usual. If you are eligible for PrEP you will be linked through to SH.UK PrEP service
If you don’t have an SHL account you can register HERE for PrEP through SH.UK
You will be asked some triage questions, this will include questions about the sex you have had recently and medical conditions. Answer as honestly as possible.
2) If you’re eligible, receive and complete your test kit
If you are accessing the SH.UK PrEP service without an outreach worker supporting you, you will be asked to provide an address to send an HIV test kit to, as well as a kidney function test.
The kit will arrive in a couple of days in the post and includes instructions on how to use it.
If you are with an outreach worker, we provide you with a kit and help you do the tests
3) Post your tests and receive your PrEP
Post your kit off, and once the lab have received it, if there are no issues with your results you will be sent up to 3 bottles of PrEP to the address you provided.
You can log back into your SH.UK account when you want a refill in the following months
If you want any help with accessing PrEP this way, want help with doing your test kits or have concerns about PrEP being sent to your addess, Positive East or The Love Tank might be able to help you!
Find us in one of our clinics (link – https://www.positiveeast.org.uk/hivtest/ ) (we can give you a test kit and help collect the blood) or email any questions to prevention@positiveeast.org.uk or outreach@thelovetank.info
Some people take one pill of PrEP daily – at the same time every 24 hours.
Always follow the instructions from the health care professionals and undertake the HIV and kidney function tests as advised
The dosing routine depends on the type of sex you are having:
- If you’re having receptive vaginal or frontal sex, you can take 2 pills 2-24 hours before sex, and then take 1 pill a day for 7 days after sex.
- If you have sex for more than 1 day, you can continue taking one pill every 24 hours for the next 7 days after you last had sex
- For anal sex, or penetrative vaginal/frontal sex you can take 2 pills between 2 to 24 hours before sex, then 1 pill a day for 2 days after sex.
- For example, if you plan to have sex around 7pm on Friday, you will need to take two pills between 7pm on Thursday and 5pm on Friday. You will then take a follow up pill on7pm on Saturday and 7pm on Sunday.
- If you have continue having sex for more than one day, you can continue taking one pill every 24 hours for the two days after you last had sex.
Always follow the instructions from the health care professionals and undertake the HIV and kidney function tests as advised
PEP
PEP can reliably prevent HIV infection after sex.
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a course of medication taken by HIV negative people after sex to reduce the risk of getting HIV, it can stop an HIV infection after the virus has entered the body. PEP needs to be taken within 72 hours (3 days) of the potential exposure to HIV, but is most effective within the first 24 hours. It is a course of medication that is taken for 28 days.
A 28 day course is effective for both vaginal and anal sex.
PEP is available at sexual health (GUM) clinics or from A&E. Find your sexual health clinic here.
PEP is free on the NHS but is not given routinely to everyone who asks for it. Only people who meet the guidelines will be offered PEP.
