PrEP prevents HIV

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A pill that makes sure you don’t get HIV

  • PrEP is a pill that makes sure you don’t get HIV 
  • You take it every day. Or only when you have sex 
  • Take your PrEP on a schedule. Otherwise it does not work
  • PrEP is available through your GP or the GGD
  • With PrEP it is important to test regularly. Sometimes you have to pay those tests yourself
  • You always pay for the pills yourself. The costs vary between €16,95 and €60 per month
  • PrEP does not protect against other STDs. Use condoms for that
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  • How to get PrEP

    What you can do if you can not get PrEP through the GGD or your GP? These are your options to get safe and reliable PrEP.

  • How to take PrEP?

    You take PrEP every day, or only when you have sex. Which works best for you? Read more.

  • If you forgot to take PrEP

    PrEP is a medicine that prevents you from getting HIV when you have sex. Are you taking PrEP? And did you forget to take 1 or more pills? Read what to do.

What is PrEP?

PrEP is a pill that makes sure you do not get HIV during sex. Do you take the pills correctly? Then you can not get HIV. Also not when you do not use a condom. 

You can take PrEP:

  • If you prefer not to use a condom
  • If you want to make sure you do not get HIV. 

Who is PrEP for?

PrEP is given to:

  • Men who have sex with men
  • trans persons who have sex with men
  • If sex with men is your work
  • Other people with a higher risk of getting hiv

Do you have HIV? Then you cannot take PrEP. HIV does not go away if you take it. You need different treatment. 

What you need to know about PrEP

How do you get PrEP?

PrEP is available through your GP or a (commercial) provider. The costs vary per situation. Read here how to get PrEP in the Netherlands.

How should you take PrEP?

There are 2 ways to take PrEP. Both methods protect you well against HIV. You can choose between:

  • Every day
  • Only before and after you have sex 

You can also switch between the different methods. Do you want to know what would work best for you? Read more about taking PrEP.

When is it safe to take PrEP?

Before a doctor gives you PrEP, it is important to do some tests first. Make an appointment with your doctor or the GGD. The doctor will test:

  • Whether you have HIV
  • Whether you have other STDs
  • Whether your kidneys are working properly

Do you have HIV? Or do your kidneys not work properly? Then you cannot take PrEP. 

The doctor also checks if you are vaccinated against Hepatitis B. And if the PrEP will intervene with other medications that you take. 

If the tests are all right, your doctor will give you a prescription for PrEP. Usually, your doctor sends this to your pharmacy. You can pick up the pills there soon after.

 

Check-ups at the doctor 

If you are taking PrEP, your doctor will continue to monitor your health. You will have a check-up every 6 months. Your doctor:

  • will keep an eye on your kidneys (only once a year)
  • gives you an HIV test and other STD tests
  • Tests for hepatitis C once a year (or twice if necessary)
  • checks whether you are taking other medication and how that combines with PrEP
  • asks whether you are succeeding in taking PrEP properly and on time
  • answers any questions you may have

Want to know more about PrEP?

  • PrEP medication is safe to use. But you may sometimes experience mild side effects. Such as:

    • Nausea
    • Headaches

    After a few days these side effects will go away. In 1 in 200 people, PrEP has an effect on the kidneys. Has your doctor discovered that your kidneys are not working as well as they should? Then you should stop taking PrEP.

    Do you only take PrEP when you have sex? If so, you may experience more side effects. This is because you are taking 2 pills at the same time before having sex. It may be better to take 1 pill every day. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you.

  • Ask your doctor or pharmacy if PrEP is safe to take with medication you are taking. Sometimes PrEP does not work well together with:

    • Other medication
    • Muscle-building drugs (such as creatine)
    • Painkillers: ibuprofen and diclofenac are more likely to cause kidney problems if you are also taking PrEP. It is better to take other painkillers

  • Yes, you can. Drugs or alcohol don’t make PrEP less effective. 

    Some drugs can have a stronger effect while you are taking PrEP. You may get high faster or extra high. Be careful. Start with fewer drugs than you might usually take.

  • No, it almost never happens if you take PrEP properly. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken PrEP for years now. We only know of a few people who took PrEP properly and still got HIV. 

    One person contracted HIV that was resistant to the drugs in PrEP. Another person contracted so much HIV that PrEP could not work against the virus in his whole body.

  • Yes, you can. After you have taken the last pill, you will stay protected against HIV for another 24 hours. After that you can get HIV again. Then you should use condoms when you have sex.

    Do you take PrEP every day? And do you think you’ll be having less or no sex for a while? You can also take PrEP only when you have sex.

  • PrEP medication is different to the medication you are given if you already have HIV. In this video you can see the difference between PrEP and the medication you are given if you have HIV.

  • PEP is also medication that prevents you from getting HIV. But you are only given PEP if you have taken a lot of risks and could get HIV. Or if you have had unsafe sex against your will and you don’t know whether that person has HIV.

    This is the main difference between PrEP and PEP:

    • You take PEP after you have had sex if you think you might have contracted HIV. You have to go to the GGD or hospital immediately after having sex. The doctor will check whether you need PEP
    • You take PrEP before and after you have sex to make sure that you do not get HIV. You can take PrEP every day or only when you have sex.

    Read more about PEP

Do you want to take PrEP? Get tested for HIV first!

Do you want to take PrEP? You first have to make sure that you don't have HIV. Get tested for HIV before starting with PrEP. The doctor will also check your kidney function, if you are vaccinated against Hepatitis B and if you have any other STDs. 

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