The original site for PrEP consumers, frontline providers and clinicians

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PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication that helps you stay HIV-negative. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective. PrEP is safe and generally well tolerated. Most health plans (public and private) cover PrEP.

PrEP works for women, men, people of transgender experience, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, youth, and people who inject drugs.

You can use PrEP alone or together with other prevention tools like condoms, PEP, and U=U to have the sex you want and reduce your chances of getting HIV!

PrEP may be an option for you if:

  • You wonder how HIV impacts your life
  • Condoms are not used with partners of unknown HIV status
  • You or your partner(s) recently had gonorrhea or syphilis
  • You want to have sex without condoms with a partner who has HIV
  • You have sex for money, food, housing, and/or drugs
  • You share needles for injecting drugs

Taking Hormones with PrEP or PEP

It is safe to take hormones while using PrEP or PEP. Many people use Truvada as PrEP, as PEP, or as treatment for HIV, and Truvada does not reduce hormone levels. Although it’s not expected that Descovy PrEP would reduce hormone levels, more research needs to be done to know for sure. Apretude PrEP (by injection) does not alter hormone levels.

Both Truvada PrEP and Descovy PrEP should be used daily by people of trans experience until more data are known.


Related Resources

TransLine Transgender Medical Consultation Service

TransLine is a collaborative project of expert clinicians in the field of trans health. This page provides in-depth guidance on medical issues, documentation, gender-affirming surgery, legal protections, and more.

PrEP and Transgender People

The HIV epidemic disproportionately affects the transgender community, but awareness of prevention efforts using PrEP have been inadequate for this particularly vulnerable group. 

Understanding Gender

Understandings of gender continually evolve. In the course of a person’s life, the interests, activities, clothing, and professions that are considered the domain of one gender or another evolve in ways both small and large.

Transgender Women and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention

This issue brief was produced by the National Center for Innovation in HIV Care, a partnership between The Fenway Institute, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, and AIDS United.