How to get PEP

PEP is a course of anti-HIV medication that needs to be taken daily over the course of a month. The drugs have been available for HIV prevention since the early- to mid-1990s for health workers who have had 'needle-stick' or similar injuries. More recently, PEP has been made available under strict prescribing guidelines to people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex. You have up to 72 hours to take it, but it becomes less effective with each passing hour.

Not all doctor offices, Sexual Health clinics and emergency rooms have procedures in place to offer PEP, and even when they do, you can have difficulty accessing it. However, being diligent in your search will often yield results. Following these guidelines will help you succeed.

How to avoid problems when trying to access PEP

Occassionally when trying to get PEP, you may meet some resistance from receptionists or clinic staff.

Men have reported being told to go away and come back another day. If this is the case, explain you can’t because the treatment must be started straight away. Other men have experienced being told that it is not available for sexual exposure, is unknown or simply does not exist. This will not be correct information, as it is quite available even if you don’t have health insurance.

Should you encounter these problems, check all of these these sources immediately in relative order:

  • Your primary care provider or doctor
  • Your local gay men’s health center or AIDS health organization
  • A care provider or doctor which sees a lot of AIDS patients, which can easily be found by searching for the “gay chamber of commerce” in your closest metropolitan area
  • Your local hospital emergency room, and if needed you can politely but firmly say their information is not correct and ask to speak to the ‘on-call HIV doctor’
  • A hospital which sees a lot of HIV positive patients, which would be located in your closest metropolitan “gay area”
  • Your local gay community center

Paying for PEP

If you have sufficient health insurance, you should have no problem receiving PEP for merely your drug prescription copay. If you do not have health insurance you will probably still be able to get PEP, and you should quickly check these sources for program information in relative order:

  • Your local gay men’s health center or AIDS health organization
  • Your local gay community center
  • A care provider or doctor which sees a lot of AIDS patients, which can easily be found by searching for the “gay chamber of commerce” in your closest metropolitan area

How much does PEP cost?

You should have no problem getting PEP. However if you’ve exhausted your payment options, do not delay getting treatment. Each hour that passes is critical. PEP will cost about $1000.

On the rare chance that you must pay for your treatment, you have a decision to make.

  • Is paying for one of treatment worth it to you, in order to save up to 30 years of these monthly payments?
  • Is paying for one of treatment worth it to you, in order to significantly improve your long term health and survival chances?
  • Is there anyone in your life that would help if they are provided with the information on this website?

The information included on this site is of a very frank nature for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.