Prevention

Condoms are still the only way to get protection against HIV, STIs & pregnancy all at once. Condoms can be used for vaginal, anal, and oral sex. All condoms in Australia are tested for quality assurance and, when used correctly, rarely break. Click here for more info.  
 

Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is taking medicine to reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV, after high risk exposure. It can only be started within 72 hours (3 days) of the risk. 
What is high risk?

• Recieving condomless anal or vaginal sex with a partner who is from an area where HIV is prevalent.
• Having condomless vaginal or anal sex with a partner living with HIV who has a detectable HIV viral load or is not taking HIV antiretroviral therapy.
• Sharing injecting equipment with a person living with HIV.

What can I do?
Contact your local sexual health centre for assessment or attend the emergency department of your local hospital.

 

Pre Exposure Prophylaxis is taking medication on a daily basis to reduce the risk of gettting HIV. PrEP is only recommended for use in people at high & ongoing risk for HIV infection. In Australia this includes:

1. Sexual partners of people with HIV:
   • who have a detectable viral load or started HIV treatment within the last 6 months, and
   • who have condomless vaginal or anal sex
2. Gay & homesexually active men:
   • who have multiple events of condomless anal sex,
   • who had a diagnosis of rectal gonorrhoea or chlamydia in the last 3 months
   • who had recent methamphetamine use in the last 3 months.
3. Transgender men & women may also be recommended to have PrEP should their sexual behaviour be similarly described as above.

Who should not take PrEP?
PrEP is generally not recommended for:

• heterosexual men & women whose sexual partners are not HIV positive, or
• gay & homosexually active men who are at low risk of acquiring HIV

How effective is PrEP?
Many recent research studies in different populations around the world have measured the effectiveness of PrEPat least a 92% chance of lowering their risk of HIV & possibly up to 95%.