If you’ve been exposed to HIV and seek medical attention soon enough, a doctor can prescribe a course of powerful anti-HIV medications to take daily for four weeks. In some cases, this treatment stops the virus from taking hold.
If you’ve had a risk incident, such as:
- a failed condom
- condomless anal sex with a guy who is HIV positive or whose status you aren’t sure of
- sharing injection needles,
you may have been exposed to HIV. You should visit a pilot project site, your doctor’s office, or the emergency room as quickly as possible.
PEP is not a cure for HIV. The best way to reduce your risk of picking up HIV is to use condoms during anal sex. Knowing your partner’s HIV status, finding a partner with the same status and PEP are all tools for reducing your risk.
To learn more about reducing your risk, please click here.
