PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. PrEP is a way for people who don’t have HIV but who are at high risk of getting it to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill everyday. The pill contains two medicines that are also used to treat HIV. If you take PrEP and are exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, those medicines can work to keep the virus from taking hold in your body.

PrEP is a powerful HIV prevention tool and can be combined with condoms and other prevention methods to provide even greater protection than when used alone. But people who use PrEP must commit to taking the drug every day and seeing their health care provider for follow-up every three months.