PrEP is short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. It’s a medication that you can take to prevent getting HIV if you are HIV-negative. When you take PrEP every day it is 99%+ effective at preventing HIV.
In Canada, the only available version of PrEP is pills. There are two medications approved for PrEP: Truvada (and generic versions) or Descovy. These are equally effective at preventing HIV, but provincial drug plans only cover generic Truvada. Descovy also has a lower risk of side effects.
How does PrEP work to prevent HIV?
PrEP medication stops HIV from properly replicating in your bloodstream, eliminating its ability to infect you.