What is PrEP
One way to prevent HIV is through PrEP, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. It involves taking pills before sexual activity, which prepares the body to face a potential exposure to HIV. A person on PrEP undergoes regular health check-ups, including tests for HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
How does PrEP work?
PrEP is the combination of two medications (tenofovir + emtricitabine) that block certain “pathways” that HIV uses to infect the body. There are two recommended PrEP modalities: daily PrEP and on-demand PrEP.
Daily PrEP
This consists of taking the pills daily, continuously, and is recommended for anyone at risk of HIV.
On-demand PrEP
This involves taking PrEP only when the person expects a potential risk of HIV exposure. It should be taken with 2 pills between 2 and 24 hours before sexual activity, followed by 1 pill 24 hours after the initial dose of 2 pills, and another pill 24 hours after the second dose. On-demand PrEP is recommended for people who have sex less than twice a week and can plan when sexual activity will occur. Furthermore, scientific evidence ensures the safety and efficacy of on-demand PrEP only for certain populations. These include: cisgender heterosexual men, bisexual men, gay men, and other cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM), non-binary individuals assigned male at birth, and transgender women who are not using estradiol-based hormones.
Access more information on the website of the Ministry of Health of Brazil.
See the list of services offering PrEP in Brazil:
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