Continuing PrEP

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Counting on PrEP
Why do I need to take PrEP as prescribed?

icon of a bottle of pills
  • You must take PrEP as prescribed for it to work.
  • If you do not take PrEP as prescribed, there may not be enough medicine in your bloodstream to block the virus.
  • The right amount of medicine in your bloodstream can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading in your body.

Will PrEP interfere with my hormone therapy?

  • There are no known drug conflicts between PrEP and hormone therapy, and there is no reason why the drugs cannot be taken at the same time.

Can I stop using condoms if I take PrEP?

condoms
  • PrEP provides protection from HIV, but does not protect against other STDs.
  • Condoms can help prevent other STDs that can be transmitted through genital fluids, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
  • Condoms are less effective at preventing STDs that can be transmitted through sores or cuts on the skin, like human papillomavirus, genital herpes, and syphilis.

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Page last reviewed: November 3, 2020
Content source: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention