PEP - Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

If you or your HIV negative partner are concerned there has been exposure to HIV during sex through condomless intercourse, a broken condom or uncertainty about your viral load, there is a treatment option available that may prevent infection. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) involves taking a combination of at least two anti-HIV drugs for 28 days. As with other HIV treatment regimens, PEP must be taken at strict times of the day.

If PEP is taken soon enough after exposure to HIV, in almost all cases it will prevent HIV infection; however, it is not a guarantee.

PEP therapy aims to stop the HIV virus that may have entered his body from replicating and producing more virus. The virus that has entered his body will soon die, and if PEP has been successful, HIV infection is avoided as no HIV-infected cells remain.

The drugs used for PEP are the same anti-HIV drugs used to treat HIV and can create similar side effects to the ones experienced by positive people taking them – nausea, diarrhoea, headaches and tiredness.

PEP is most likely to be effective when taken immediately (within a few hours) after being exposed to HIV. The earlier he starts the treatment, the better. But it may still be effective taken up to 72 hours after the incident.

The person exposed to HIV should seek medical advice as soon as possible. It is usually easiest to contact an HIV prescribing doctor or sexual health centre, but if these are not open at the time, Accident and Emergency departments at major hospitals should be able to help.

For more information on PEP, including where PEP is available nationally go to: www.getpep.info