PrEP

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PrEP: Overview for Patients

illustration of PrEP tabletWHAT is PrEP

PrEP stands for Pre‐Exposure Prophylaxis, and it means taking a medicine before you are exposed to an infection, to prevent that infection. In this case, the infection is HIV. There are other ways of avoiding HIV, including using condoms consistently and correctly, reducing your number of sex partners, not being intoxicated or high around the time of sex, and getting checked and treated for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). PrEP can help people who can’t do those things consistently and those who want an additional form of protection. PrEP should not replace these strategies, but it can be used along with some or all of them.

Truvada® is the pill we use for PrEP. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help prevent HIV infection in men and women at high risk of getting HIV. It is a pill that contains 2 drugs, tenofovir and emtricitabine. Truvada® is often used along with other medicines to treat people with HIV infection, but for PrEP it is used to help block HIV from infecting you if you are exposed to the virus through sex or injection drug use.

Truvada® is taken as 1 pill once daily.

In studies, PrEP was more than 90% effective at preventing HIV in people who took it very regularly, but was not effective in people who did not take it or who take took it only sometimes. So, PrEP is highly effective if used correctly, but it is not 100% reliable.

WHO should consider taking PrEP?

You should consider PrEP if you are a sexually active man who has sex with men, a heterosexual woman or man, a transgender woman or man, or an injection drug user, and you have one or more of the risk factors for HIV listed below.

Significant risks for HIV infection include:

  • Inconsistent condom use
  • High number of sex partners
  • An HIV‐positive sex partner
  • A recent STD, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis
  • An HIV‐positive injecting partner
  • Sharing of injection equipment
  • Commercial sex

As you can see, a lot of people have a risk for becoming infected with HIV. If you have even one of these risks, please discuss PrEP with your provider. He or she can help decide whether PrEP is right for you.

For more information on PrEP, contact us the number below or visit our website: https://www.umc.edu/msaetc/.

WHERE can you get PrEP?

PrEP is a prescription, so you have to be seen by a physician. Below is a list of clinics here in Jackson/Hattiesburg that will be happy to get you started with PrEP today. For more PrEP locations in Mississippi and the United States, please visit https://www.greaterthan.org/get‐prep/.

Get PrEPared and Prevention of HIV

  • Dr. Ben Brock
    Dr. Leandro Mena
    Dr. Lucar Loveras
    Jackie Simpson, NP
    Open Arms Healthcare Center
    500 E. Woodrow Wilson Ave.
    Jackson, MS 39216
    (601) 500‐7660
  • Dr. Jennifer Bryan
    University of Mississippi Medical Center
    2500 N. State St.
    Jackson, MS 39216
    (601) 815‐0600
  • UNACARE Family Health Clinic
    258 E. Fortification St.
    Jackson, MS 39202
    (601) 815‐8230
  • Dr. Echols Williams
    Hattiesburg Family Health Center
    66 Old Airport Road
    Hattiesburg, MS 39401
    (601) 544‐7500
  • Dr. L. Otaigbe
    Southern Medical Care
    6600 US Highway 98
    Hattiesburg, MS 39402
    lotaigbe@hotmail.com
    (601) 261‐2727 
  • Dr. Singh
    Crossroads Clinic North
    930 Main St.
    Greenville, MS 38701
    (662) 332‐1398 
  • Dr. Catherine Thomas
    Hattiesburg Family Health Center
    66 Old Airport Road
    Hattiesburg, MS 39401
    (601) 544‐7500

Resources

Created November 16, 2016. Updated September 30, 2024.