PrEP for Your Sexual Health

PrEP is medication that is highly effective at preventing HIV.

PrEP: Get the care that fits you

PrEP is medication you can take to dramatically reduce your risk of getting HIV.

One of the best ways you can care for yourself and your partners? PrEP, a medication that can reduce your risk of getting HIV.

Get the information you need and find out if PrEP is right for you.

What does PrEP stand for?

PrEP is short for pre-exposure prophylaxis, a medication that helps prevent HIV infection before you are exposed to the virus. PrEP is used by HIV-negative people to remain HIV negative.

Does PrEP work?

Yes! When used as directed, PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV.

How do you take PrEP?

When it comes to taking PrEP, there’s good news: you have options. There are two ways you can add PrEP into your self-care routine.

Daily pill: There are two different oral medications available. One is Truvada® and the other is Descovy®. These pills are taken daily. These are for adults and adolescents who weigh at least 77 pounds (35 kilograms) and are HIV negative.
Injectable: There are two injectable medications. One is Apretude®, which is given every other month—or six times per year. The other is Yeztugo®, given every six months—or twice a year. These are for adults and adolescents who weigh at least 77 pounds (35 kilograms) and are HIV negative. Both injectable medications must be given by a health care provider.

Talk with a provider about PrEP medications. They’ll help you decide which option is right for you. Some medications may be better for you if you have other health conditions, like high cholesterol or blood pressure. For example, Truvada® may be better for someone with high cholesterol, while Descovy® or Apretude® may be better for someone with kidney disease. 

Who uses PrEP?

If you don’t have HIV, PrEP could be for you. It helps HIV-negative people stay negative, and can be an especially helpful tool for:

- People who have sex with more than one partner whose HIV status they may not know
- Anyone in a sexual relationship with someone who is HIV-positive and has an unknown or detectable viral load
- People who inject drugs, especially if they share needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment
- People who have been prescribed PEP, including people who have been prescribed PEP multiple times—learn more about PEP.

Is PrEP right for me?

Only you can answer this question! Whether or not PrEP works for your sexual health is up to you. You may want to consider PrEP if you:

Have sex with more than one partner whose HIV status is not known
Have a difficult time accessing or using condoms regularly, or you don’t use condoms during sex
Inject drugs and share needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment with someone who is HIV positive, or whose HIV status you do not know
Want to add an extra layer of protection against HIV on top of other precautions you are already taking
Have been diagnosed with an STI in the past six months

Learn if PrEP is right for you

Man looking into bathroom mirror and applying gold under eye patches for self care

Does PrEP prevent other STIs or viral hepatitis?

PrEP is very effective at preventing HIV when used as prescribed, but it does NOT prevent other STIs, viral hepatitis, or pregnancy. That’s why PrEP shouldn’t be the only way you take care of your sexual health.

Always use condoms when you’re having sex and always use new needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment like cottons and cookers if you’re injecting drugs.

What’s the difference between PrEP and PEP?

The names are so similar—it can be confusing! But while PrEP and PEP both help prevent HIV, they are very different when it comes to the timing of preventing infection.

While PrEP is taken before an exposure to prevent HIV, PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis and should be taken after an exposure to HIV. It’s a four-week course of medication that should be started as soon as possible after exposure, ideally within 24 hours, but no later than 72 hours, after exposure.

How can I get a prescription for PrEP?

If you’ve decided PrEP could be right for you, the first step to getting a prescription is to talk with a provider.

Not sure where to find one? Check out the services map to find a PrEP provider near you.

Once you have the conversation and you’re confirmed to be HIV negative, you can get a prescription for the kind of PrEP that works for you. The provider will ask that you continue to be tested for HIV and STIs, just to make sure PrEP continues to be a healthy part of your routine.

Is PrEP covered by insurance?

If you have health insurance, the cost of PrEP is usually covered with no out-of-pocket costs.

If you don’t have insurance, or need help with your copayments (copays), the Massachusetts PrEP Drug Assistance Program (PrEPDAP) may be able to help cover the cost. PrEPDAP also assists eligible clients by covering out-of-pocket costs for PrEP, such as copays and payments towards an insurance deductible. 

Medicare covers these services without cost sharing, so you do not pay deductibles or copays. Some people with Medicare may have previously gotten PrEP for HIV drug coverage through Part D and paid a deductible, coinsurance, or copays. As of September 2024, Part B covers these drugs without cost sharing. Learn more.

Learn more about paying for PrEP

What else can I do to prevent HIV?

Whether or not you take PrEP, here are a few other ways to reduce the chances of getting HIV:

Get tested every three to six months for HIV and STIs and complete any necessary treatment as prescribed. Find a testing location near you.
Talk with your sex partners about their STI testing history and their HIV status.
If your sex partners are HIV positive, talk with them about their current HIV treatments, and have sex only when they have an undetectable viral load, which is when a viral load is so low that it cannot be detected by tests.
If you inject drugs, make sure to use new needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment.
Enjoy sex that has a lower chance of transmitting HIV, such as oral sex, mutual masturbation, etc.
Use condoms for anal and/or vaginal/front hole sex.
Use plenty of water-based lubricants to help reduce friction and tearing during sex.