Access to Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

If you’re HIV negative and suspect you’ve been recently exposed to HIV, PEP is a medical treatment that may prevent you from becoming HIV positive after a risk exposure. PEP is prescribed by a doctor and involves taking a combination of HIV medications exactly as prescribed over a short period (usually 4 weeks). PEP is a powerful treatment but it often causes side effects whilst taking it. It is not guaranteed to work, nor make you immune to HIV in the future, or prevent you from passing HIV on to others if you are infected. For the best chance of success, PEP needs to be started as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours (3 days) after exposure.