All about PrEP

What is PrEP?

In the UK, two different pills are approved for use as PrEP – branded drug Truvada or its generic equivalent and the branded drug Descovy, sometimes called ‘TAF’.

Most people will be prescribed generic Truvada. It is very well tolerated with few to no side effects.

A small number of people will be prescribed ‘TAF PrEP’ if they meet clinical eligibility. TAF is mainly indicated for people who have lower kidney function and some young adults, and adolescents.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved long-acting injectable PrEP but these medications are not yet routinely available in the UK.

PrEP is different from PEP.

You might benefit from taking PrEP if:

• You belong to a community with higher rates of HIV or have sex within networks with higher rates of HIV.
• You have a partner or partners recently diagnosed with HIV, who are not yet ‘undetectable’. Undetectable is when a person living with HIV is on effective treatment and cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.

What goes into oral PrEP

The branded drug Truvada or its generic equivalent contains two drugs:

• Tenofovir Disoproxil TD
• Emtricitabine FTC

Descovy or its generic equivalent contains:

• Tenofovir Alafenamide TAF
• Emtricitabine FTC

PrEP and testing

Before starting PrEP you should visit a sexual health clinic for a full sexual health screening, blood test for HIV, and a kidney function blood test.

It is recommended that people taking PrEP should test for HIV and STIs every 3-6 months. However, some PrEP users might need to test less often. This should be assessed on an individual basis. An annual kidney function blood test is also part of regular screening for most people.

In the UK, groups considered to have high rates of HIV are: