We can prescribe the anti-retrovirals Emtricitabine/Tenofovir (generic PrEP) or Truvada to lower your risk of getting HIV, providing treatment is suitable for you and you already have experience of using it.

There are different ways to take PrEP tablets depending on your lifestyle and the type of sex you have. We can prescribe Daily PrEP (one tablet once a day) for either anal or vaginal sex. Or we can prescribe On Demand PrEP (taken as-and-when it’s needed) for anal sex although please note that on-demand use is outside the licence of the medicine, also called 'off-label'. If we prescribe treatment, we’ll explain exactly how you need to take PrEP.
It is vitally important to take PrEP in the correct manner. Taking PrEP incorrectly will mean that you are not adequately protected against contracting HIV.

Common side effects can include: headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, rash and/or itching, skin discolouration, feeling weak or low energy, allergic reaction, insomnia, abnormal dreams, altered liver function tests, altered heart tests, or altered muscle blood tests. PrEP can also, over a long period of use, cause a reduction in bone density and damage kidneys.
For the full information of a medicine’s side effects and how to take it, it’s important to read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your medicine.

If you’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding you should not use this service. Please go to a local sexual health clinic for specialist advice.

If taken according to instructions, PrEP is highly effective in reducing the risk of getting HIV. In studies, PrEP lowered the risk of HIV infection by at least 90% in those who took the medicine properly. Because protection isn’t guaranteed, and to guard against other STIs, you should use a condom for best protection.