HIV PrEP in NYC and Long Island

Possible HIV exposure is time-sensitive. Seek PEP assessment as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours and no later than 72 hours after a qualifying exposure. PEP is a 28-day course of antiretroviral medication used after exposure; it is different from ongoing PrEP. Do not wait for symptoms, a partner’s results, insurance approval or a routine appointment. If a clinic cannot assess you promptly, go to an emergency department or another service able to start PEP.

Tell the service the exact date and time, what happened, any prior PrEP doses and what is known about the source. If sexual assault occurred, urgent care can also address injuries, pregnancy prevention, other infections and support; PEP decisions should not wait for reporting or paperwork.

A baseline HIV test and renal, hepatic, hepatitis, STI or pregnancy testing may be needed. When PEP is indicated, the first dose should not be delayed waiting for laboratory results that are unavailable immediately.

Confirm where the medication will be dispensed, how the full 28-day supply will be obtained and whom to call for side effects or a missed dose. The regimen is selected for age, pregnancy, organ function and interactions.

CDC recommends early contact around 24 hours to check access and tolerance, with clinical/laboratory follow-up at 4–6 and 12 weeks after exposure. Your clinician specifies the HIV antigen/antibody and nucleic-acid tests and any timing adjustments.

PrEP is medication for people without HIV who want to reduce their chance of acquiring it. A prevention visit helps choose a product that fits exposure, kidney health, other medicines and daily life. Options include daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir and long-acting injections. The products have different eligibility and follow-up requirements. PrEP does not replace testing for other STIs, condoms when useful, or pregnancy prevention.

PrEP can be discussed with anyone who requests it, without having to disclose a particular identity or partner history. For oral PrEP, the indicated adult/adolescent weight threshold is 35 kg. Daily F/TDF, including generic Truvada, is used for sexual or injection-related risk in CDC guidance. Descovy, F/TAF, is for sexual risk excluding receptive vaginal sex; that limitation concerns the exposure, not simply someone’s gender identity. Injectable Apretude and Yeztugo are approved for sexual HIV prevention. Each requires confirmed HIV-negative status.

PrEP medicines act before infection becomes established. They work only when enough drug is present for the relevant exposure. Starting, stopping, missed doses and switching therefore need an agreed plan. Recent HIV exposure calls for a PEP assessment, because PrEP is not the emergency treatment course used after an exposure.

Discuss sexual and injection exposures, prior PrEP/PEP, recent missed doses and symptoms. If a potential HIV exposure was within 72 hours, get urgent PEP advice before a routine prevention appointment.

Oral PrEP requires kidney assessment and hepatitis B screening. CDC uses estimated creatinine clearance above 60 mL/min for F/TDF initiation and at least 30 mL/min for F/TAF. Descovy also involves lipid and weight monitoring. Injectables have their own HIV testing and interaction checks.

Agree on the first dose, when protection is expected for your exposure and what to use during a transition. An optional Apretude oral lead-in differs from Yeztugo’s required initiation tablets. Do not transfer one product’s schedule to another.

Oral prescriptions are connected to HIV testing at least every three months. Injection follow-up uses the relevant product calendar. Build in STI screening, refills, symptom contact and a backup plan for travel or coverage problems.

Follow-up assesses HIV status, adherence, exposure, side effects and ongoing preferences. Kidney testing occurs at intervals based on age, baseline function and other risks, with at least annual monitoring for oral PrEP. A missed dose does not have one universal answer across pills and injections. Contact the team if exposure occurred during an interruption, and do not wait for a later HIV test when PEP may still be timely.

Bring medication and supplement lists, kidney and hepatitis B records, recent HIV tests and dates of prior prevention doses. Ask how results will be reviewed, how long a refill lasts and where injections are administered. Testing may still be needed even if you recently tested elsewhere, because the date, assay and intervening exposures matter. A negative home oral-fluid test alone may be inadequate when recent infection is a concern.

Discuss sexual and injection exposures, prior PrEP/PEP, recent missed doses and symptoms. If a potential HIV exposure was within 72 hours, get urgent PEP advice before a routine prevention appointment.

Oral PrEP requires kidney assessment and hepatitis B screening. CDC uses estimated creatinine clearance above 60 mL/min for F/TDF initiation and at least 30 mL/min for F/TAF. Descovy also involves lipid and weight monitoring. Injectables have their own HIV testing and interaction checks.

Agree on the first dose, when protection is expected for your exposure and what to use during a transition. An optional Apretude oral lead-in differs from Yeztugo’s required initiation tablets. Do not transfer one product’s schedule to another.

Oral prescriptions are connected to HIV testing at least every three months. Injection follow-up uses the relevant product calendar. Build in STI screening, refills, symptom contact and a backup plan for travel or coverage problems.

No. PrEP is an ongoing HIV prevention plan for a person without HIV, with product-specific testing and follow-up. PEP is urgent treatment after a qualifying possible exposure: start as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours, generally for 28 days. A negative test immediately after exposure does not remove the need for PEP assessment. HIV treatment is a separate pathway.

Yes, although the risk is very low when an appropriate PrEP product is used as prescribed. CDC estimates about a 99% reduction in sexually acquired HIV with prescribed use. That is not 100% protection. Missed pills, delayed injections, starting before protection is established and rare breakthrough infections matter. Keep HIV testing and tell the clinician about missed doses, new exposures or symptoms such as fever or rash. A possible qualifying exposure within 72 hours during inadequate protection needs urgent PEP assessment. Do not rely on having a prescription as proof that every exposure was covered.

PrEP is intended for people without HIV. Taking a prevention regimen during undetected HIV can allow drug resistance because it may not be a complete HIV treatment regimen. Contact the prescribing clinician promptly for HIV confirmation and a fully suppressive treatment plan. A reactive screening result needs confirmation. A negative early test can also miss acute infection. Tell the clinician the exact product, last doses or injection dates and symptoms. Do not use a PrEP medicine alone to treat diagnosed HIV or make your own start, stop or switch plan.

Taking PrEP does not itself establish a person’s HIV status. PrEP is prescribed to prevent acquisition in someone without HIV. It is not treatment for a person with HIV. HIV testing, dates, exposures and adherence still matter. A person with HIV who takes effective antiretroviral treatment and achieves and maintains an undetectable viral load does not transmit HIV through sex. That evidence concerns sustained suppression on treatment. Simply reporting PrEP use does not establish suppression. Discuss your own prevention needs and testing rather than inferring a partner’s status from a medication name.