is an HIV prevention strategy where HIV treatment, especially HIV drugs, can lower the risk of spreading HIV. For people living with HIV, taking HIV drugs can reduce their viral load, thus making their blood, vaginal fluids, breast milk, and semen (cum), much less likely to pass HIV on to others.This would not differ from your current treatment.
Positive Living
is an HIV prevention strategy where HIV-negative individuals take anti-HIV drugsbefore coming into contact with HIV to reduce their risk of becoming infected. The drugswork to prevent HIV from establishing infection inside the body.
The pill is made of a combination of anti-HIV drugs or antiretrovirals (ARVs) and has been approved for HIV prevention by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) since 2012 under the brand name Truvada. Note that PrEP does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Condoms are still recommended to be used because they protect against other STDs.
" The benefits of taking PrEP may include
rotecting yourself from getting HIV, reducing your anxiety, enjoying sex more, among others."
Treatment as Prevention, or TasP, is the use of HIV medications or antiretrovirals (ARVs) by persons living with HIV (PLWH) to prevent transmission of the virus to uninfected partners. TasP can be close to 100% effective if taken as directed. TasP does not differ from general treatment recommendations for PLWH or require additional medication. Note that ARVs do not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
"The benefits of using TasP include
maintaining your health, protecting your partner(s) from getting HIV, reducing your anxiety, and enjoying sex more. "
When taken every day, HIV medication can reduce a PLWH’s viral load to levels that are undetectable so that they are not likely to transmit the virus to uninfected partners, as long as their viral load remains undetectable or virally suppressed. Viral load is the amount of HIV in the blood of someone who has HIV. When someone’s viral load is undetectable it is less than 200 copies of HIV per mL of blood. Consistent medication use is necessary to keep viral load low. Blood tests can determine viral load levels.
HIV medications or antiretrovirals (ARVs) need to be prescribed to a person living with HIV (PLWH) by a healthcare provider and are covered by most health insurances. For PLWH who do not have insurance, there are programs that can provide ARVs for free or at a reduced cost. Contact your local health department for further information.Positive Living
PrEP is currently recommended for sexually active MSM who have HIV-positive sexual partners or drug-injecting partners, a high number of sex partners, recent STIs, inconsistent or no condom use, engage in sex work, and sharing infection equipment.
When taken every day, PrEP in your bloodstream blocks HIV from taking hold and spreading in your body. If you do not take PrEP every day, there may not be enough of it in your bloodstream to block the virus. While PrEP is currently only approved as a daily oral pill, alternative forms of PrEP are under development, including an injectable form that would last for three months.Live Proactively
School of Public Health