PrEP

eat,sleep,prep,repeat

HIV PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxisis, which helps keep HIV negative people from becoming infected) is a key public health strategy in eliminating HIV nationwide. The Chester County Health Department is seeking to understand PrEP prescribing practices throughout our community.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, is for individuals at risk for acquiring HIV. It is a medication, either a pill or injection form, taken by people who do not have HIV to prevent getting infected with HIV. 

If you are interested in discussing your risk factors of acquiring HIV with a public health nurse, please contact Chester County Health Department’s STD/HIV clinic at 610-344-6225, option 2, option 3. We also offer testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at no cost to you. While the Health Department cannot dispense PrEP medication, we can link clients with local, accessible providers and conduct risk reduction for all individuals tested and/or treated.

Benefits of PrEP

Daily PrEP, when taken as prescribed, reduces the risk for getting HIV from sex by about 99%. Among people who inject drugs, it reduces the risk for getting HIV by at least 74%.

The risk for getting HIV from sex can be even lower with a combination of PrEP, condoms and other prevention methods. 

While PrEP protects against HIV, condoms should still be used to protect against other STDs.

  1. General Information and Education
  2. Local PrEP Providers
  • CDC: PrEP
  • HIV.gov: Ready, Set, PrEP
    • The Ready, Set, PrEP Program makes PrEP medication available at no cost for qualifying recipients. To receive PrEP medication through this program, you must: lack prescription drug coverage, have a negative HIV result, and have a prescription for PrEP. Please visit Ready, Set, PrEP to enroll.
PrEPVsPEP_main-1