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What is HIV PrEP & Event-Driven Based HIV PrEP Strategy?

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What is HIV PrEP?

HIV PrEP is an option for HIV prevention and involves taking medication that can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by up to 95% if taken properly.
Most of the time, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or HIV PrEP for short is taken as a daily tablet and needs to be taken consistently to provide the greatest level of protection.
HIV PrEP is recommended for at-risk groups, including men-who-have-sex-with-men, patients who have a known partner who is living with HIV (PLHIV), or those with multiple partners of unknown HIV status.

What is the difference between HIV PEP (HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis) & HIV PrEP?

HIV PrEP should not be mistaken for HIV PEP or HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis.

HIV PEP is for any individual who is at risk of HIV infection after an HIV exposed to HIV to take HIV medicines for a month to reduce his or her chances of HIV infection.

HIV Pre Exposure prophylaxis and HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis do not 100% reduce your chances of HIV infection, nor prevent you from being infected with other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) besides HIV.

HIV PEP as an HIV prevention strategy was first developed for healthcare workers, who are being exposed to contaminated blood or needles prick. It has since expanded to other HIV high-risk activities such as sexual exposure and intravenous drugs used.

Another development of HIV prevention is by using HIV Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a strategy to reduce the chances of HIV infection even before any potential HIV exposure.

What is Event Driven Based HIV PrEP Strategy?

Some people may find that taking a daily table is just not suitable for them.
If this is the case, they may consider an option called Event-Based Dosing, or EBD for short.
This entails taking tablets one day before the exposure, the days of exposure, and for one day after the last exposure.
It is a much shorter course of tablets than regular HIV PrEP, and can still provide a high level of protection from HIV, with up to 85% risk reduction.
HIV PrEP is most effective when used in combination with other protective strategies such as condoms and regular STD screening.

Descovy As New HIV Medication For HIV PrEP

Descovy (brand name) is a FDA approved new drug combination of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) + emtricitabine for use as HIV PrEP, which has shown to be equally effective in preventing HIV infection whilst touting an improved safety profile for renal and bone toxicity.

Descovy is currently available in all DTAP clinics in Singapore. It is a prescription only medication and must be prescribed by a doctor. Speak to our doctors for more information about Descovy and find out if a HIV-1 treatment that contains Descovy is right for you.

If you are interested in learning more about HIV PrEP or EBD, please come down to our any of our clinics to speak to our doctors, and see if these options are suitable for you. You can learn more about the What is HIV PrEP or HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.
We can advise you in more detail on the indications, dosage and timing, and potential side effects of the medications, as well as how to follow up with appropriate HIV Testing and STD testing.
Take Care!

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