Should I consider taking PrEP?

PrEP is for people without HIV who are at risk for getting the virus from sex or injection drug use. The federal guidelines recommend that PrEP be considered for people who are HIV-negative who:

Have had anal or vaginal sex in the past 6 months and:

Have a sexual partner with HIV (especially if the partner has an unknown or detectable viral load)

or

or Have not consistently used a condom

or

or Have been diagnosed with an STD in the past 6 months

PrEP is also recommended for people who inject drugs and

have an injection partner with HIV

or

or share needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs (for example, cookers).

PrEP should also be considered for people who have been prescribed non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and

report continued risk behavior, or

have used multiple courses of PEP.

If you have a partner with HIV and are considering getting pregnant, talk to your doctor about PrEP if you’re not already taking it. PrEP may be an option to help protect you and your baby from getting HIV while you try to get pregnant, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.

Because PrEP involves daily medication and regular visits to a health care provider, it may not be right for everyone. And PrEP may cause side effects like nausea in some people, but these generally subside over time. These side effects aren’t life threatening. See Is PrEP safe?

Learn more about how to protect yourself and get information tailored to meet your needs from CDC’s HIV Risk Reduction Tool (BETA).