Is PrEP right for me?

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medication that HIV-negative people can take to protect themselves from HIV. It is nearly 100% effective when taken as advised.

Answer some short questions and based on your answers we'll recommend whether PrEP is right for you.

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How often do you or your partner/s wear a condom during sex?

Very likely – Always

Sometimes

Unlikely – Probably not

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Do you regularly have sex with multiple partners at the same time?

Yes

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Are any of your partners living with HIV?

Yes, on treatment with undetectable viral load

Yes, not on treatment

Don't know

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Do you inject drugs, or use Crystal Meth, Mephedrone or GHB/GBL during sex?

Yes

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Do you have sex with others in exchange for money or other things such as food or accommodation?

Yes

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Are you always able to give consent to the sex you have?

Yes

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Have you recently arrived from or visit/stay in any of the following countries, and had/have sex without using condoms while there?

Countries:
Angola, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Eswatini (Swaziland), Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Yes

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Are the people you have sex with from a population group or country that is more affected by HIV?

Population groups:
‍Gay and bisexual men, trans women, Black Africans and people who inject drugs.

Countries:
Angola, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Eswatini (Swaziland), Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Yes

Don't know

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Based on what you’ve told us, we think that you would benefit from taking PrEP. This is because you have selected at least one of the following:

You are having insertive and/or receptive sex without a condom with someone who is HIV positive and not on treatment or on treatment but not undetectable.
You don’t know the HIV status of your partner(s) and they are (or you don’t know) from a population group or country where HIV is more common.
You inject drugs or use specific drugs during sex.

If you are having sex without condoms there is also the possibility of transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and of unplanned pregnancy. If you have casual sex with multiple partners, either in a group or one-on-one, then it’s recommended to get tested for STIs every three to six months. You can use a variety of contraception methods to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy.

These answers are a guideline to whether PrEP is recommended for you depending on your sexual and drug use experience.

Starting PrEP

It is strongly advised to have an HIV test (to check that you are HIV negative) and a blood test to check your kidney function before you start taking PrEP. You should visit your local sexual health clinic to have a check-up and discuss your needs with a clinician, who can discuss whether PrEP is right for you.

Getting PrEP

PrEP is available free from most sexual health clinics in the UK. You should check with your local service to find out which of your local clinics provide PrEP.

If you’re thinking about getting PrEP from outside the NHS there are a number of things to consider. You can find more information from I Want PrEP Now.

If you have any questions about PrEP you can find out more at Terrence Higgins Trust.

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Based on what you’ve told us, we don’t think that you would currently benefit from taking PrEP. This is because you have selected at least one of the following:

You always use condoms during sex.
You’re only taking part in sexual activities that have no or low risk of HIV transmission.
You know you are only having sex with people who are HIV negative or have an undetectable HIV viral load (someone living with HIV and on treatment can’t pass the virus on).
Your sexual partners are not from a group with higher rates of HIV – gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men or from a population group or country where HIV is more common.
You are not injecting drugs or using specific drugs during sex.

Your answers indicate that your exposure to HIV and chances of infection is unlikely.

If you regularly use condoms correctly then the risk of HIV transmission is low regardless of the type of sex you’re having.

If you are having sex without using condoms then there is also the possibility of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or of an unplanned pregnancy. If you have casual sex with multiple partners, either in a group or one-on-one, then it’s recommended to get tested for STIs every three to six months. You can use a variety of contraception methods to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy.

Your exposure to HIV and chances of infection may change if:

You change sexual partner(s).
The HIV status of your partner(s) changes.
You change the type of sex you’re having, or include drug use in the sex you have.

If things like this change, then you may benefit from taking PrEP, so either take this assessment again or talk to a clinician at your local sexual health clinic.

If a condom breaks while you’re using it, this will increase the likelihood of pregnancy, or of an STI or HIV, dependant on whether your partner(s) have an STI or untreated HIV. If a condom breaks and you are concerned, it is recommended to talk with your GP or a clinician at a sexual health clinic.

These answers are a guideline to whether PrEP is recommended for you depending on your sexual experience.

If you have any questions about PrEP you can find out more at Terrence Higgins Trust.

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