If you or your partner have been exposed to HIV, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is medication which may prevent a person from becoming HIV positive. HIV takes a few days to become established in the body.
PEP helps the body’s immune system to stop the virus from replicating in infected cells. These originally infected cells then die without producing new copies of the virus.

PEP must be taken as soon as possible and definitely no later than 72 hours after exposure to HIV. The sooner treatment is started, the more likely it is to work. PEP is a month long course of HIV medication. They need to be taken strictly according to their dosing schedules. Sometimes drugs used for PEP have unpleasant side-effects including nausea, diarrhoea, but these are temporary.

PEP Watch

Tell us your story of trying to access PEP, here.

What is PEP

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a treatment that may prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and is available to anyone likely to have been exposed to HIV within the previous 72 hours. It is a combination of anti-HIV drugs that must be taken exactly as prescribed at very specific times over a four-week period.

When to use PEP

It is extremely important that a person who may have been exposed to HIV through contact with blood or body fluids from an HIV positive person seeks medical advice as soon as possible.

PEP may prevent infection in anybody who has engaged in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse (including condom breakage) with a partner who is HIV positive, or shared injecting equipment such as needles or syringes with a person who is HIV positive. PEP is most effective when taken immediately after exposure to HIV, preferably within two hours - but it may still be effective if taken within 72 hours (3 days) from the time of exposure.

Where to get PEP

PEP must be prescribed by a doctor and is available from the clinics listed below. The standard prescription drug co-payment will be charged by the pharmacy dispensing the drugs.

Anyone wishing to access PEP should telephone one of the services below for opening hours, make an appointment if necessary and then advise them that PEP may be required. Don't feel anxious about discussing PEP with the trained clinical staff members of these services.  Even if the risk seems minimal or there is doubt about the need for PEP,discuss the matter with a doctor, either in a hospital emergency department, sexual health clinic or a GP. In addition, staff members from HIV services listed below are able to listen, and provide information about PEP.

It is recommended to take written information (i.e. a brochure or similar) about PEP when presenting to the Emergency Department, and inform the staff that that this is a ‘medical emergency’.

When asking for PEP, the doctor or nurse will ask what happened to make you think it’s needed. They’re not being judgemental they simply need to know what happened so they can determine how likely it is that HIV exposure has happened.  You will be tested for HIV to ensure you are not already HIV positive, but PEP will start before the results come back.

How does PEP work

PEP will reduce the risk of HIV infection following an exposure to infected blood or bodily fluids. In the case of occupational exposure in a workplace (eg. needlestick injury in a clinic), PEP has been used for a number of years and has been effective in most cases. Studies have also shown the use of PEP to be effective in cases of non-occupational exposures (eg. sex or sharing injecting equipment) in people who completed the full course of PEP.

PEP consists of powerful drugs that can cause side effects such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea or headaches throughout the four week course of medication. Sticking to the strict medication routine is essential to give the treatments a chance to work effectively.  Talk to your doctor if side effects get too much, they will be able to help reduce symptoms.

A follow-up appointment with the doctor who prescribed PEP is essential after finishing the course of drugs so people can be tested for HIV.

What PEP is not

PEP is not a guarantee that HIV infection will be prevented, but will decrease the chances of becoming infected.

PEP will not make people immune to future HIV exposures. People still need to practise safe sex and in the case of people who inject drugs, safer injecting practices as these remain the best ways to prevent HIV infection. This involves using condoms with water-based lubricant and
the use of clean, sterile injecting equipment at all times.

If you are exposed to HIV again in the future you should seek urgent medical advice. Everyone has an equal responsibility in protecting themselves and their partners from contracting HIV.

Help and Assistance

Specialist HIV Services

• Brisbane Sexual Health and HIV Service
• Princess Alexandra Hospital
• Bundaberg
• Cairns
• Gold Coast
• Ipswich
• Mackay
• Mt Isa
• Palm Island
• Redcliffe/Caboolture
• Rockhampton
• Sunshine Coast
• Thursday Island
• Toowoomba
• Townsville

Hospitals with Infectious Diseases Clinics

• Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital
• Princess Alexandra Hospital
• Mater Hospital
• Cairns Base Hospital
• Gold Coast Hospital
• Nambour Hospital
• Townsville Hospital

Hospital Departments of Emergency Medicine (list of all hospitals in Queensland)

A GP HIV treatments (S100) prescriber

Sources: Queensland Association for Healthy Communities and Queensland Health.