For Bristol/South Gloucestershire/Weston area – Go to your online account to make your PrEP appointment. New appointment slots are opened for booking on Thursday mornings.
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a medicine for HIV negative people, taken before sex, so it is “pre-exposure”. Prophylaxis means to prevent infection- in this case, HIV. It can reduce the risk of getting HIV when taken as instructed.
PrEP is made up of two drugs, Tenofovir and Emtricitabine, taken as a single pill. These drugs are known as antiretroviral medicines and have been used as a part of HIV treatment for many years. You may know this medicine by its brand name, “Truvada”.
Results in trials have been very successful, with PrEP significantly lowering the risk of becoming HIV positive and without major side effects. In trials, if people took the pills as prescribed, the protection PrEP provided from HIV is close to 100%.
In clinical trials, PrEP has been used in two different ways:
- Taken daily (one tablet per day)
- Taken when needed (2 tablets two to 24 hours before sex, 1 tablet 24 hours after sex and a further tablet 48 hours after sex). This is often called ‘on-demand’ or ‘event-based’ dosing.
Both methods have been shown to be very effective, although event-based dosing has only been studied in gay and bisexual men.
PrEP does not protect people from other STIs, and people on PrEP should get regular full STI tests to look after their general sexual health.
- Is PrEP right for me?
PrEP has been shown to be most useful for people who are at high risk of getting HIV. This includes people who might have difficulties with regular condom usage from communities which are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as:
- Gay and bisexual men
- Black Africans
- Trans people
- Those in a relationship with an HIV positive partner who are not on successful treatment.
It is important for people on PrEP to be able to:
- Take the medication as prescribed
- Have an HIV test and kidney function tests at a sexual health clinic before starting PrEP
- Test for STIs regularly
- How can I get PrEP?
PrEP is now funded as a free NHS treatment
Accessing PrEP for patients already taking PrEP with Unity has changed.In order to make sure that it is safe to prescribe PrEP we need to ensure you are negative for HIV and have had a recent STI screen.Please order a testing kit form our website HERE , we recommend testing every 3 monthsThen book a PrEP FOLLOW UP TELEPHONE appointment HERE.This is a telephone appointment so DO NOT ATTEND, but make a note of the date and time.You will be sent a reminder txt a day or so before the appointment.On the day, one of the Unity clinicians will phone you from a withheld number.In the phone appointment we will go through your history and make sure everything is okay.If you are up to date with your tests you will be prescribed PrEP to collect from one of our clinics.If you are NEW to PREP and are accessing it for the first time, please book a face-to-face appointment on 01173426900.Buying generic PrEP online
Some people are also buying generic versions of Tenofovir/Emtricitabine from online pharmacies. If you live in the UK it is legal to buy and import PrEP as long as it is for personal use only, and you buy no more then 3 months’ supply at once .
Some UK sexual health clinics have undertaken drug level testing on people who have been ordering generic PrEP online to check the validity of the drugs. Reports indicate that good levels of active drug have been reported, with it being recommended that people stick to ordering types of generic PrEP which are listed on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Iwantprepnow lists current sources of online generic PrEP which has been previously validated by drug level testing from these sexual health clinics.
If you’re thinking about getting PrEP, it’s important that you talk to a sexual health adviser, doctor or nurse, such as those at Unity. We will be able to support you to use the treatment safely and provide necessary tests before starting PrEP (such as a HIV test and kidney function test), and help with STI screens and monitoring.
- PrEP monitoring at Unity
If you are planning to start taking PrEP, or are already taking PrEP and require monitoring, please attend a Unity clinic. Please book a PrEP appointment via your online account
If you are planning to get PrEP from WISH @ Unity in Weston-super-Mare, please book a PrEP appointment on your online account or make an appointment by calling on 01934 881234.
Before starting PrEP, it is advised that you:
- Have a HIV test to make sure you are HIV negative
- Have kidney function tests
- Have a full sexual health screen
- Chat to one of our health advisers or specialist nurses to talk about taking PrEP safely
If you are already taking PrEP, we can:
- Monitor your kidney function
- Offer a full sexual health screen every 3 months
- Offer an HIV test every 3 months
- Offer a discussion with our health advisers or specialist nurses about safer sex
- More information on PrEP
If you would like more information on PrEP:
- Speak to a doctor, nurse or health adviser at a Unity clinic.
- Speak to a health adviser on the phone 0117 342 6944.
- Read the i-base PrEP leaflet UK Guide to PrEP.
- Visit any of the following websites:
- NAM www.aidsmap.com/topic/prep
- Prepster www.prepster.info
- I want PrEP now www.iwantprepnow.co.uk/
- Terrence Higgins Trust www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/prep-pre-exposure-prophylaxis
- Running low on PrEP?
If you’re running low on PrEP, please see here for proactive steps you can take to maintain protection.
- What to do if you miss a dose of PrEP and have unprotected sex?
Daily dosing
If you have had an least 4 doses in the last 7 days, take your next dose when its due and continue daily dosing. You will have adequate protection, and do not need to abstain from sex.
If you had fewer than 4 doses in the last 7 days you might require PEPSE. Call us for advice within 48 hours of the unprotected sex
Unity Central, Bristol/South Gloucestershire 0117 342 6944Wish @ Unity, Weston 01934 881234
(or if we’re closed attend A&E to request PEPSE).
Event-based dosing
If you have not taken your PrEP prior to sex, you might require PEPSE. Call us for advice within 48 hours of the unprotected sex
Unity Central, Bristol/South Gloucestershire 0117 342 6944Wish @ Unity, Weston 01934 881234
(or if we’re closed attend A&E to request PEPSE).
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