What is PEP?

Post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, is medication you can take after an exposure to HIV that can prevent HIV infection. An exposure may include: 

• Condomless vaginal or anal sex or a condom break
• Sharing needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment 
• Sexual assault 

If you’ve been sexually assaulted, you can find support resources by going to a hospital emergency room. 

When should I take PEP?

You should take PEP as soon as possible after an exposure to HIV. PEP works best if you take it within the first 24 hours of possible exposure, and it’s been shown to be effective up to 72 hours after an exposure. You should take PEP even while waiting for your test results.  

Once you begin taking it, you’ll need to take it daily for 28 days. 

PEP is intended for unexpected situations and is not a replacement for ongoing HIV prevention methods, like using condoms or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). 

After 72 hours, PEP isn’t effective, so a health care provider won’t prescribe it. 

How do I get PEP?

Any health care provider can prescribe PEP. You can visit a provider, community health center, urgent care center, or emergency room for a prescription. 

During the visit, the health care provider will ask you questions about your exposure and about the HIV status of you and your partners. They will order tests for HIV and STDs/STIs and may discuss a variety of ways to prevent HIV in the future, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. 

If you are HIV-negative (or don’t know) and decide to take PEP, you will need to: 

• Begin taking pills immediately 
• Take pills every day for one month 
• Get tested again for HIV (and other STDs/STIs) approximately 30 days after first taking PEP—and maybe once again after that 

How much does PEP cost?

PEP is usually covered by health insurance. If you don’t have insurance, or if you have insurance but can’t afford the co-pays for PEP medications, the nPEP Program may be able to cover the cost. The “n” in “nPEP” just means that the HIV exposure was non-work related. Contact the nPEP Program as soon as you can. 

Should I also take PrEP?

After taking PEP, a health care provider may recommend taking PrEP to protect against future exposure to HIV. And if you miss the 72-hour window for taking PEP, a health care provider may start you on PrEP as a part of your self-care routine. Learn more about PrEP.