PREP FAQS: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

PrEP (short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is medication that prevents HIV and promotes sexual health.PrEP is for anyone – straight, gay, or bisexual. PrEP is for male, female, transgender, or gender non-conforming individuals. PrEP is for people who are HIV negative (not living with HIV) who are at risk of exposure to HIV. Since 2014,New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has strongly endorsed PrEP as a safe and effective evidence-based biomedical intervention for the prevention of HIV. PrEP is an important option for promoting sexual health.

There are four medications approved by the FDA as PrEP for HIV:

• Truvada (or a generic equivalent) is a pill taken by mouth every day
• Descovy (or a generic equivalent) is a pill taken by mouth every day
• Apretude is a shot injected every two months
• Yeztugo is a shot injected every six months

A health care provider will work with you to determine which may be best for you.

If you take PrEP and are exposed to HIV, the medicine in PrEP stops the virus from spreading throughout your body. PrEP only stops HIV if you have and maintain high enough levels of medicine in your body, so you need to take it as prescribed. When taken as prescribed, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV through sex by over 99%.

Remember, PrEP is only taken for HIV prevention, and does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or mpox. PrEP should always be used in combination with safer sex practices, such as using condoms, to reduce the risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections.

Consider taking PrEP if you do not have HIV and any of the following apply to you.

• Worried you could be exposed to HIV
• Do not always use condoms during sex
• Recently had a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Recently took emergency PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) to prevent HIV
• Inject drugs and share syringes or other injection equipment
• Have a partner who has HIV and a detectable or unknown viral load
• Have a partner who may have HIV or has not recently had an HIV test
• Are sexually active and interested in additional HIV prevention

Yes. PrEP is very safe. Using PrEP will not harm you, impact your ability to have children, or interfere with your sex life. In fact, most people have few or no side effects. Some people get an upset stomach when they first start taking the oral medication. For those who are on injectable PrEP (Apretude or Yeztugo), there may be soreness or irritation at the injection site. Talk to your health care provider about any side effects, especially if they last more than a week or so.

You and your provider will work together to determine the best PrEP medication and dosing schedule for you. It is important to advocate for your health, including medication access to PrEP. This is particularly true for women and communities of color. PrEP is individualized to support your sexual health and HIV prevention needs.You can talk with your healthcare provider about PrEP or you can find a provider by clicking here.

The cost of PrEP includes the cost of medication, medical appointments, and lab tests. Medicaid and most health insurance plans cover all the costs for PrEP, without co-pays or cost-sharing. Drug manufacturers offer additional assistance and the New York State DOH offers a PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP). For more information, see PrEP Payment Options (PDF).

Learn more about your assistance: New York Uninsured Care Programs Portal

Daily PrEP

Once a day! Talk with your healthcare provider about how long you need to take PrEP before you are fully protected. Daily PrEP with either Truvada or Descovy has been proven to be effective for preventing HIV transmission in men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men. Daily PrEP with Truvada has been proven to be effective for cisgender women and transgender men who have vaginal intercourse.

On-Demand PrEP (2-1-1)

On-demand PrEP is an option for you if you are a cisgender man who has sex with men and you can predict when you will have sex at least 2 hours beforehand. With on-demand PrEP, you take two pills at least 2-24 hours before sex. Then you take one pill once a day for two days after you have had sex. The only PrEP medication approved for on-demand use is Truvada.

Injectable PrEP

Injectable PrEP is an option for those who do not want to take a pill every day. Injectable PrEP is administered by a health care provider. There are currently two forms of injectable PrEP available. The first one is Apretude. The initial administration of Apretude requires two injections given one month apart, and then administration moves to once every 2 months. Yeztugo was approved in June 2025 for use as a twice-yearly PrEP option to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV taken every six months.

Injectable PrEP is a method proven to be effective for cisgender women and transgender men who have vaginal intercourse. If you miss a dose of injectable PrEP by more than 7 days, please consult with a health care provider to be reassessed for a preventative plan. If you feel you no longer need PrEP, talk with your health care provider about how to discontinue it. PrEP should always be used in combination with safer sex practices, such as using condoms, to reduce the risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections.

PrEP does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. Using a condom with PrEP will protect you from most STIs. When you are taking PrEP, you should get tested periodically for STIs. Early diagnosis and treatment of STIs protects your health and prevents passing STIs to your partners. Using PrEP and condoms together gives you protection from both HIV and most STIs.

Most people on PrEP do not report any side effects. The most common side effects are nausea, upset stomach, fatigue, and headaches. These symptoms often get better or go away within the first month or two of taking PrEP. PrEP injections may cause swelling or redness at the injection site. Rare side effects of PrEP include kidney or bone problems. Always talk to your health care provider to help you manage any side effects.

Yes. PrEP is a safe, effective, and approved option if you are over the age of 12 and weigh 77 pounds or more. Your healthcare provider will determine if you are a candidate for PrEP. You can consent to the medication on your own, but billing information is something your parent or guardian may receive. PrEP is available for adolescents orally (by mouth) and as an injectable. Talk to your healthcare provider about which option is best for you.

PrEP is for people who are HIV negative, so the first step is an HIV test. While you are taking PrEP, you should get tested for HIV periodically to make sure you remain HIV negative.

There is no evidence that PrEP interacts with gender-affirming hormone therapy, hormone replacement therapy, or hormonal contraception. Research shows that PrEP does not interfere with any kind of birth control.

U=U stands for Undetectable equals Untransmittable. It means that a person who has HIV and is on treatment and virally suppressed for 6 months or longer cannot transmit HIV to a partner through sex. To learn more: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/ending_the_epidemic/docs/u=u/faq.pdf