PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It’s a medicine that can help prevent HIV. Using PrEP can lower your chances of getting HIV from sex by up to 99%.
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Anyone who is sexually active and doesn't have HIV can use PrEP. To find out if PrEP is right for you, talk to your nurse or doctor. You may choose to use PrEP if you:
Have had anal or vaginal sex in the last 6 months and:
Have a sexual partner who has HIV
Don’t regularly use condoms
Have been diagnosed with another STD within the last 6 months.
Have shared needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs in the last 6 months.
Have used PEP multiple times.
If you’re at high risk for HIV and you’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, PrEP may also help you and your baby avoid getting HIV.
PrEP isn’t the same thing as PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis). PEP is a short-term treatment for people who’ve already been exposed to HIV within the past 72 hours. PrEP is generally an ongoing daily pill or bi-monthly shot for people who may be exposed to HIV in the future.
There are 3 ways you can use PrEP to help prevent HIV:
Talk with your doctor or nurse about your situation to figure out if PrEP is right for you. It’s important to be honest so you can get the best health care for you — doctors and nurses are there to help, not judge. The more accurate information they have, the better they can help you.
If you use it correctly, PrEP can lower your chances of getting HIV from sex by up to 99% if taken correctly. And using condoms and PrEP together helps you stay even safer. PrEP can also lower your chances of getting HIV from sharing needles by more than 70%.
It’s really important to use PrEP correctly, meaning on time, every time. PrEP doesn’t work as well if you skip pills or miss your shot appointments. If you don’t take it on schedule, there might not be enough medicine in your body to block HIV.
PrEP doesn’t prevent other sexually transmitted infections, like gonorrhea and chlamydia. So use condoms along with PrEP to help you avoid other STDs and give you extra protection against HIV.
PrEP is very safe. No serious problems have been reported in people who take PrEP.
PrEP may cause side effects like nausea, loss of appetite, headaches, fever, muscle pain, rash, and skin reactions where you got your shot. These side effects aren’t dangerous and they usually get better with time, once your body gets used to PrEP. Most people on PrEP have no side effects at all.
If you do have side effects that bother you and don’t go away, talk with your doctor or nurse. They can help you figure out ways to deal with side effects and make sure everything’s ok.
You can get PrEP from some health clinics or Planned Parenthood health centers, local health departments, and doctors’ offices.
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Your nurse or doctor will talk with you about the sex you have, the protection you use, and your medical history to help you decide if PrEP is right for you. They’ll also give you tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and other STDs. And they'll test your kidneys to make sure they’re working well.
If you don’t have a doctor, or your regular doctor or nurse doesn’t prescribe PrEP, you still have options. The doctors and nurses at your nearest Planned Parenthood health center can provide up-to-date, accurate, non-judgmental information about PrEP, and help you get on PrEP if you want to.
There are also other organizations that can help you get and pay for PrEP. Greater than AIDS has a tool that can help you find PrEP near you.
Once you’re on PrEP, you’ll need to get tested every 2-3 months for HIV, depending on what kind of PrEP you’re taking. They’ll talk with you about any side effects or symptoms you may be having. They may also test you for other STDs, and test you to make sure your kidneys are working well. If pregnancy is possible for you, you might get a pregnancy test too.
It’s really important to go to these follow-up appointments to make sure you’re healthy and HIV-free. It’s really unlikely you’ll get HIV if you’re using PrEP consistently. But if you do happen to get HIV while using PrEP, it’s important for your health to stop using PrEP right away. PrEP is not a treatment for HIV — in fact, taking PrEP when you have HIV can actually make the virus harder to treat.
Most health insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover PrEP. Check with your insurance company to see if PrEP is covered on your plan. You might also be able to get help with other expenses, like copays, coinsurance, and deductibles, through Gilead (the company that makes oral PrEP) or patient advocacy groups like the Patient Advocate Foundation.
If you don’t have health insurance, you can still get help paying for PrEP. You can apply to get free PrEP through the Ready, Set, PrEP program. Gilead also has a medication assistance program that could make PrEP free for you, depending on your income. Your doctor or nurse will need to submit an application for you to find out if you qualify.
The staff at your nearest Planned Parenthood health center can help you apply for health insurance or assistance programs that can make PrEP affordable for you.
PEP is an HIV-prevention strategy using anti-retroviral medications to prevent acquiring HIV following a possible exposure. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV and are in need of PEP, please DO NOT email the Florida Department of Health's HIV/AIDS Section, as these are administrative offices. Instead, please contact your local hospital emergency room, urgent care clinic, or local county health department for PEP evaluation and treatment. You may also find local PEP providers using the PrEP/PEP Provider Locator Map.
To be effective, PEP must begin within 72 hours of exposure. A physician must determine what treatment is appropriate based on the nature of the exposure. PEP typically consists of 2–3 antiretroviral medications taken for 28 days. Starting PEP after a potential exposure does not guarantee HIV prevention, but the sooner PEP is started, the better. Every hour counts. Follow-up testing is important to determine if any next steps are needed.
Additional PEP information and resources are below.
PrEP is a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that involves the daily oral use or bi-monthly injection of antiretroviral medications to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. PrEP should be used along with other prevention methods to reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.
Visit our PrEP Locator to find a PrEP or nPEP provider in Florida.
Ready, Set, PrEP is a nationwide program led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Ready, Set, PrEP program provides PrEP medications at no cost to individuals who qualify. Check eligibility requirements and enroll in the program at getyourprep.com. Health care providers can also use this site to enroll a patient.
Help spread the word about the benefits of PrEP and the Ready, Set, PrEP program with factsheets, posters, info cards, and social media content (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram graphics). Factsheets are available for consumers, health care professionals, and Indian Health Service. Content included in this toolkit may be customized and tailored to your needs. Questions about materials can be directed to ReadySetPrEP@hhs.gov.
FloridaHealth PrEP provider toolkits, resource guides, posters and brochures are available upon request. Email DiseaseControl@flhealth.gov for info.
There are two types of PEP: 1) occupational PEP, for an exposure that happens in the workplace (such as a needle stick in a health care setting), and 2) non-occupational PEP (nPEP), for when someone is potentially exposed to HIV through sexual intercourse or injection drug use.
FloridaHealth PEP provider toolkits, resource guides, posters and brochures are available upon request. Please email DiseaseControl@flhealth.gov for info.
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