Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine that prevents HIV after a possible exposure. PEP must be started within 72 hours (3 days) after a recent possible exposure to HIV.

Talk right away to your health care provider, an emergency room doctor, or an urgent care provider about PEP if you think you've recently been exposed to HIV:

• during sex (for example, if the condom broke),
• through sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs, or
• if you've been sexually assaulted.

PEP is safe but may cause side effects like nausea in some people. In almost all cases, these side effects can be treated and aren't life-threatening.