PEP should be taken if you think that you have been exposed to HIV, but the sooner the treatment is begun, the better. PEP needs to be taken within 72 hours of the exposure incident.
HIV & AIDS
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a four-week course of anti-HIV treatment drugs that you can take if you think you may have been exposed to HIV through condomless sex or by sharing injecting drug equipment.
PEP can, in most cases, stop HIV from establishing itself in the body and prevent you from becoming HIV-positive if you begin PEP treatment within 72 hours of exposure to HIV and take it correctly over the next 28 days.
PEP can be a single-dose pill or a combination of two or three anti-HIV treatment drugs that HIV-positive people take daily to minimise the virus’s ability to multiply in their bodies. PEP is not a morning-after pill that makes it safe and easy to have condomless sex. You have to take these drugs every day for 28 days for them to work, and they can cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea and headaches.
WHEN SHOULD I TAKE PEP?
HOW DOES PEP WORK?
Once you are exposed to HIV, it takes less than a week for the virus to establish itself within your body. Once it is established, you will have HIV for the rest of your life. However, if you begin taking PEP in time, the anti-HIV treatment drugs prevent the HIV that is already in your body from reproducing, and it dies out before it has a chance to multiply.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS IF I TAKE PEP?
The anti-HIV treatment drugs used in PEP must be taken every day for 28 days. They are extremely powerful and can sometimes have side effects. However, these vary from person to person in their type and severity. Side effects can range from and include diarrhoea, lethargy, tiredness, vomiting, and migraine-like headaches. Some of these side effects can be treated with other medications to reduce their effect on your body, but it is important to continue taking the PEP treatment drugs for all 28 days of treatment to maximise the likelihood of them working.
WHERE DO I GO IF I THINK I NEED PEP?
It is advisable to contact the PEP INFOLINE on 1800 889 887 if you are based in Victoria. They can provide information and guidance on how and where to access PEP and even help you access it. Additionally, they can advise you on whether PEP would be a suitable option for you based on your risk exposure.
In Melbourne, specifically, the fastest and easiest way to get PEP is to go to the Accident and Emergency Department at the Alfred Hospital, Commercial Rd, Prahran. PEP is also available through several gay-friendly clinics, including the Centre Clinic (St Kilda), Northside Clinic (Fitzroy), Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (Carlton), and Prahran Market Clinic (Prahan).
Another good source of information would be to check out the Get PEP website for more information.
WHAT WILL THEY ASK ME IF I ASK FOR PEP?
Because of the unpleasant side effects of the drugs used in PEP, medical staff will try to find out how likely it is that you have actually been exposed to HIV before starting the treatment when you ask for PEP. To do this, they will need to ask you some personal questions about what happened and why you think you were exposed to HIV. This will include what sort of sexual or injecting activity you have been involved in and whether or not your sexual/injecting partner is likely to be HIV-positive. They are not being nosey or judgemental; they need this information to assess the risk. It is important to be honest with them so they can make an informed assessment of your risk.