Last updated: July 2026
What Is PrEP? The Plain-English Guide to HIV Prevention
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis — medication you take before a possible exposure to HIV so the virus can't establish an infection. When taken as prescribed, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99%. It is one of the most effective preventive medicines in all of modern medicine.
The short version
- PrEP is a daily pill (or an injection every 2 months) that prevents HIV.
- It's about 99% effective for sex when taken consistently.
- Most people pay $0 — insurance must cover it, and assistance programs cover the uninsured. See the cost guide.
- You need a prescription and an HIV test first — both can be done online.
How PrEP works
PrEP medications are antiretrovirals — the same class of drugs used to treat HIV. Taken before exposure, they build up in your blood and tissues and block HIV from copying itself if it enters your body. Without the ability to replicate, the virus dies out before an infection can take hold.
The protection is real but not instant: for receptive anal sex, maximum protection takes about 7 days of daily dosing; for receptive vaginal sex and injection exposure, about 21 days.
The PrEP options in 2026
| Option | How it's taken | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Truvada / generic (TDF-FTC) | One pill daily | Most people; the generic makes it very affordable |
| Descovy (TAF-FTC) | One pill daily | People with kidney or bone-density concerns (not approved for receptive vaginal sex) |
| Apretude (cabotegravir) | Injection every 2 months | People who prefer not to take a daily pill |
| On-demand "2-1-1" dosing | Pills around sex only | Men who have sex with men with infrequent encounters (off-label in the US) |
Who should consider PrEP?
The CDC recommends discussing PrEP with a clinician if you're sexually active and any of these apply: you have a partner living with HIV, you don't consistently use condoms with partners whose status you don't know, you've had a bacterial STI (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis) in the past 6 months, or you share injection equipment. In practice, many clinicians — including our reviewing team — take a broader view: if you're asking about PrEP, that interest alone is a good reason to have the conversation.
PrEP is used by people of every gender and orientation. See our focused guides: PrEP for gay men and PrEP for women.
What PrEP does not do
PrEP prevents HIV only. It does not prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, or other STIs — that's where DoxyPEP comes in, and many people now use both together as a combined prevention strategy. PrEP is also not the right tool after a possible exposure — that's PEP, a different, time-critical medication.
Getting started
Starting PrEP requires an HIV test (to confirm you're negative), a kidney-function check for the oral options, and a prescription. A generation ago that meant multiple clinic visits; today the entire process — labs included — can be completed from home via telehealth, usually in under a week.
See your options — pick your state
Where you live determines who can prescribe for you via telehealth.
Good news: our reviewing clinical team at The Practice serves your state directly by telehealth.
Book a telehealth visit with The PracticeOr call (904) 877-1100
The Practice doesn't prescribe in your state yet. These established telehealth services do:
MISTR — free PrEP & DoxyPEP online, most states Wisp — sexual-health telehealth & pharmacy CallonDoc — same-day online prescriptions