Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (original) (raw)

Content From: HIV.gov_•_Updated: February 7, 2025_•_8 min read

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People who use PrEP must commit to taking it as prescribed and seeing their health care provider for follow-up appointments.

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. A long-acting injectable form of PrEP has also been approved by the FDA.

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:

Or

Or

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:

A long-acting injectable form of PrEP has also been approved by the FDA:

Is PrEP Safe?

PrEP is safe. No significant health effects have been seen in people who are HIV-negative and have taken PrEP for up to 5 years.

Some people taking PrEP may have side effects, like nausea, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, and stomach pain. These side effects are usually not serious and go away over time. If you are taking PrEP, tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

And be aware: PrEP protects you against HIV but not against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or other types of infections. Combining PrEP with condoms will reduce your risk of getting other STIs.

How Do You Get PrEP?

If you think PrEP may be right for you, visit your doctor or health care provider. PrEP is only available by prescription. Any health care provider licensed to write prescriptions can prescribe PrEP; specialization in infectious diseases or HIV medicine is not required.

Because PrEP is for people who are HIV-negative, you’ll have to get an HIV test before starting PrEP and you may need to get other tests to make sure it’s safe for you to use PrEP.

If you take daily oral PrEP, you’ll need to see a health care provider every 3 months for repeat HIV tests, prescription refills, and follow-up. If you use injectable PrEP, you’ll need to see a healthcare provider every two months for an HIV test and the injections.

What If You Don’t Have a Health Care Provider?

If you don’t have a health care provider:

Screenshot of How Can I Pay for PrEP PDF

Find Help Paying for PrEP

PrEP remains one of the strongest tools in the HIV prevention toolbox. There are a wide variety of efforts focused on supporting PrEP and other options where you can obtain PrEP medication and/or services. Use this decision tree to find out how to pay for PrEP.

Is PrEP Covered by Insurance?

In most cases, the cost of PrEP medication and services are covered by insurance.

Under the Affordable Care Act, PrEP is free under almost all health insurance plans. PrEP is a preventive service and should be covered without charging you a co-payment or co-insurance. This is true even if you haven’t met your yearly deductible. That means you can’t be charged for your PrEP medication, the clinic visits to see your health care provider, and lab tests you need to get and maintain your prescription. There are no out-of-pocket costs for you. Read moreExit Disclaimer.

This applies to most private health insurance plans you get through your employer or purchase yourself, individual plans you purchase through HealthCare.gov or state-based Marketplaces, and state Medicaid expansion coverage plans, including the Basic Health Plans. In some states, the traditional Medicaid program also covers PrEP at no charge.[1] This does not automatically apply to Medicare. (Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover PrEP medication, but there will still be cost sharing.)

To find out whether your health plan covers PrEP medications without charge:

What If You Don’t Have Health Insurance or Still Can’t Afford PrEP?

If you don’t have insurance or Medicaid coverage, there are resources that may be able to help you pay for PrEP and/or your necessary clinic visits and tests.

Learn More About PrEP

If you think PrEP might be right for you, or you want to learn more, visit CDC’s PrEP Basics.

Also: watch and share KFF’s Greater Than HIV and CDC’s Let's Stop HIV Together Ask Me Anything About HIVExit Disclaimer videos with PrEP Basics information and PrEP videos for providersExit Disclaimer. Also, their Powered by PrEP videosExit Disclaimer feature real people sharing why they are taking PrEP to prevent HIV and how it has helped them take charge of their health.

Use the HIV Services Locator to find a PrEP provider and other HIV services near you.


[1] California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. (NASTAD PrEP Coverage Brief, July 2021Exit Disclaimer (PDF, 205 KB))