This medicine helps to reduce the risk of HIV becoming established in the body. PEP is not a cure for HIV and is not a guarantee for preventing HIV infection. PEP reduces the risk of HIV transmission by about 79%.

Safe sex and safe drug injecting practices are the most effective ways of protecting yourself and others from HIV.

You may need PEP if you have had risky contact with someone who has HIV, or who may have HIV. This risky contact may include:

Having sex without condoms or other protection. Having sex where a condom breaks. Sharing injecting equipment. Receiving a needle-stick injury. Being exposed to blood or other bodily fluids.

You should contact our team during opening hours 12pm – 7pm Monday to Friday.

If outside of these times you should send a message to V-Med on Facebook Messenger and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.

PEP medication cost from $35 to $40.

Decisions about whether you should take PEP must be made with a trained staff. They will assess your risk of HIV infection based on the information you provide and can arrange PEP if it is required. When discussing whether PEP is appropriate, you should provide details that relate to your HIV exposure such as:
The type of exposure occurred (sexual, injecting, or other). For sexual exposure, the type of sex occurred (vaginal, oral, anal). Whether you know anything about the HIV status of the person or people involved How much time has passed since the event?

PEP should be started as soon as possible after a potential exposure to HIV, and definitely within 72 hours (3 days) of the event. The sooner you start PEP, the better the chance of it working. Even after 72 hours you should still contact your doctor or one of the contacts listed at the end of the pamphlet to discuss your options. It is important to keep in mind that PEP is considered an emergency measure and should not be used instead of condoms or sterile injecting equipment.

Initially you will have some blood tests to find out whether you have HIV or any other infection. Our doctor/trained staff will then discuss with you how to take the course of PEP medication. PEP involves taking one antiretroviral drug once a day for four weeks (28 days). It is very important that these drugs are taken on time and without missing doses. This medication can cause a range of side effects which may include diarrhea, nausea, headaches and tiredness. These potential side effects can vary depending on the individual, which is why it should only be taken under medical supervision. If you are concerned about possible side effects and how to manage them, you should discuss this with your doctor. Whilst taking PEP, and also afterwards, you will need to take another HIV test to check if PEP has been effective.

There is sufficient evidence to suggest that PEP can reduce the likelihood of getting HIV after an exposure. However, the effectiveness of PEP is dependent on a number of different factors, and this means that PEP is not 100 percent effective. If you decide to take PEP, you should remember that:

PEP can reduce your risk of becoming infected with HIV, however PEP is not guaranteed to prevent HIV infection. PEP will not protect you against another exposure to HIV in the future. PEP is not a cure for HIV. To protect yourself from HIV it is important to practice safe sex and also not to share injecting equipment.