4 Reasons to Consider PrEP

PrEP is a once-a-day pill that can prevent HIV infection by up to 99% – a huge step in the fight against HIV and one that will help us end all new transmissions.

1) Travelling to places where HIV is more common

If you’re going somewhere where a lot of people are living with HIV, you might want to think about taking PrEP. Condoms are a great, effective option but they might not be always available when you’re overseas. PrEP could be a good way to overcome this challenge.

2) Not everyone wants to talk about safe sex

Different people are comfortable with different levels of communication around safe sex – while some are open to talking about it, many aren’t- especially women from different cultural and religious backgrounds. Communication should happen whenever possible, but if you find yourself in situations where it’s hard to negotiate safe sex, taking PrEP is a great way to protect yourself from HIV without any discussion. If you and your partner don’t have any other sexual partners, and you’re both HIV-negative, then you don’t need PrEP.

3) If you are HIV negative and have a partner who is living with HIV

If your partner is living with HIV or you’re not sure of their HIV status, you could consider PrEP. If your partner has a detectable viral load, you may be eligible for publicly funded PrEP, which means you could get three months’ supply for only $5. If you aren’t eligible, get in touch with us – we might be able to help you get a free order.

4) Struggling to use condoms consistently

You might find that you or your partner are struggling to use condoms all the time, and one way to reduce worrying and reduce the risk of contracting HIV is to take PrEP. Although PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV transmission, it’s good to remember that PrEP doesn’t protect you against other STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis – but condoms do. It’s a good thing to remember that PrEP and condoms can be used together!

You can click here to find out more about PrEP. If you have a doctor’s prescription but aren’t eligible for PHARMAC funding, we might be able to help you get a free three month supply. Contact [email protected] for more details.