PEP

 

PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) is a course of anti-HIV

medication that you take every day for 28 days if you may have

been exposed to HIV through unsafe or risky sex with someone

who you knew to be HIV positive or with someone whose status

you didn’t know. It can stop the infection after it has entered the

body if accessed quickly and taken correctly every day.

 

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It must be accessed at your local sexual health clinic or A+E

department within 72 hours of unsafe or risky sex. The medication is the same ones taken by people living with HIV.

 

NOTES:

 

• Must be accessed with 72 hours – earlier the better

• 28 days’ worth of antiretroviral medication

• Taken every day, in the correct way

• Not guaranteed to work but has very high success rate

• Not be used as a substitute for using condoms – think of this as a last resort not a replacement

• It’s free