PrEP
The tablet to prevent HIV
Secure delivery 
Indian doctorsHere’s what's included in the price:
Consultation
Answer a few questions about your health so we can get to know you better.
Free delivery
We'll deliver to you in 2-4 business days.
Aftercare
We’ll check in with you regularly to see how your treatment is going.
Buy PrEP online
PrEP is an antiviral tablet that helps to prevent HIV. You can take it if you’re at increased risk of becoming infected with the virus.
Get expert advice on PrEP, and find out if it’s right for you. Take our consultation and order PrEP online.
Here’s what's included in the price:
Consultation
Answer a few questions about your health so we can get to know you better.
Free delivery
We'll deliver to you in 2-4 business days.
Aftercare
We’ll check in with you regularly to see how your treatment is going.
PrEP
What is PrEP?
PrEP (short for pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a type of antiviral treatment that helps to protect you from getting HIV. It’s specifically for people who have an increased risk of getting HIV. So for example, if your sexual partner is HIV positive, you may benefit from taking PrEP daily in addition to using a condom.
With PrEP, you can also do what’s called ‘event-based dosing’. For example, if you’re going on holiday and likely to be having sex with casual partners, there’s a way you can take it called ‘holiday PrEP’ or ‘on-demand PrEP’, where you take it for a short period of time to increase your protection.
PrEP is available as a branded tablet (Truvada) and as a generic pill (Emtricitabine/Tenofovir disoproxil, or Generic PrEP). The way they work should be the same, but the way the tablet looks and the company that makes them are different. Generic PrEP also tends to be much cheaper.
How does PrEP work?
PrEP contains two active ingredients: emtricitabine and tenofovir. In short, these drugs stop the virus from making an enzyme it needs to replicate itself. When HIV is transmitted from one person to another, there’s an ‘incubation period’ where these viral cells convert their own genetic material from RNA into DNA. This is the process that the medicines in PrEP interfere with, to stop the virus from developing.
Who should take PrEP?
PrEP is recommended if you’re HIV negative but experience situations where you’re at high risk of contracting HIV.
PrEP may help you if:
- Your partner has a detectable viral load of HIV
- You’re planning on having unprotected sex with casual partners
- You’re having sex with someone with an unknown HIV status
- You share needles or injection equipment with other people.
But if you’re HIV positive, you shouldn’t take PrEP, because the dose isn’t high enough to suppress the virus. The treatment for this is very similar to PrEP, but the dose and the way you take it is different.
How effective is PrEP?
Clinical studies have found that taking PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV infection by 86% . Taken daily, it’s been estimated to be 88–90% effective, if not higher .
If you take it every day, it takes seven days for PrEP to become fully effective at preventing HIV transmission through anal sex. If you’re a woman taking it for vaginal sex, it takes 21 days.
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu, Clinical Lead on June 26, 2023. Next review due on June 26, 2025.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
PrEP
How should I take PrEP?
There are four different ways to take PrEP. The way you take it will largely depend on how and when you plan to have unprotected sex.
Daily use is the most effective, but isn’t the only way of taking it. If you’re not having sex regularly, taking it in another way that means you take less tablets can still be effective, and ultimately save you money. If you’re not sure what the best way to take it is, let us know, and we’ll give you the advice you need.
If you’re taking PrEP over a long period, you’ll also need to get tested regularly to make sure you don’t have HIV. This is a blood test usually done every three months.
Daily use
Like the name suggests, daily use of PrEP is where you take one pill every day at the same time. It’s suitable for you if you’re having anal or vaginal sex. Your protection starts after seven days of taking it like this. It’s a good way to protect yourself if you’re having sex regularly with an infected person.
T’s and S’s
T’s and S’s is where you take PrEP on specific days of the week: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s only suitable for anal sex and is a good form of protection if you have sex once or twice a month.
If you’re doing daily use or T’s and S’s, you should take your pill at the same time every day.
On-demand
Also called ‘event-based dosing’, on-demand is where you take:
- two pills 2–24 hours before you plan to have unprotected sex
- one pill 24 hours later
- and continuing to take one pill every 24 hours until you go two days without having sex.
It’s helpful if you know you’re having unprotected sex 24 hours in advance, but is only suitable for you if you’re having anal sex.
7-7-7
The 7-7-7 method, sometimes called ‘holiday PrEP’, is for when you plan to have sex multiple times, with multiple partners, within a short space of time. You’ll take one tablet a day for:
- seven days before you ‘go on holiday’ (or your period of having sex starts)
- every day during your holiday (your period of having sex)
- and for seven days after your holiday (after your period of having sex finishes)
So the 7-7-7 name is based on your holiday lasting seven days, but it may be longer or shorter than this. It’s suitable for both vaginal and anal sex.
Can you take PrEP if you are HIV positive?
You shouldn’t take PrEP if you’re HIV positive, because it won’t help to suppress the virus in your body. To do this, the dose needs to be stronger. In fact, if you take PrEP but are HIV positive, it could make the drug less effective overall, because the dose is at a size where the virus can learn how to become resistant to it.
So if you’re HIV positive, you should speak to your doctor about getting the treatment that’s right for you.
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu, Clinical Lead on June 26, 2023. Next review due on June 26, 2025.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
PrEP
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu, Clinical Lead on June 26, 2023. Next review due on June 26, 2025.
How we source info.
When we present you with stats, data, opinion or a consensus, we’ll tell you where this came from. And we’ll only present data as clinically reliable if it’s come from a reputable source, such as a state or government-funded health body, a peer-reviewed medical journal, or a recognised analytics or data body. Read more in our editorial policy
Reference Popover #ref2
Treated trusted source
CDC, (2019).
Effective HIV Prevention Strategies. [online] Available at:
Reference Popover #ref1
Treated trusted source
McCormack, S.
Dunn, D.T., Desai, M., Dolling, D.I., Gafos, M., Gilson, R., Sullivan, A.K., Clarke, A., Reeves, I., Schembri, G., Mackie, N., Bowman, C., Lacey, C.J., Apea, V., Brady, M., Fox, J., Taylor, S., Antonucci, S., Khoo, S.H. and Rooney, J. (2016). Pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent the acquisition of HIV-1 infection (PROUD): effectiveness results from the pilot phase of a pragmatic open-label randomised trial. The Lancet, [online] 387(10013), pp.53–60. Available at:
This page was medically reviewed by Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu, Clinical Lead on June 26, 2023. Next review due on June 26, 2025.
Search
Close search
PrEP: Here's what we've got.
Trioday tablet
Tenofovir (300mg) + Lamivudine (300mg) + Efavirenz (600mg)pills to lower your HIV viral load
- Starting from ₹4,515.00
Get your treatment
Your partners in health
Dr Navkaran Singh Sandhu
Registered with PMC (No. 41934)
Meet Dr NavkaranDr Daniel Atkinson
Registered with GMC (No. 4624794)
Meet DanielMr Craig Marsh
Registered with GPhC (No. 2070724)
Meet Craig
Some treatments can cause side effects.
Always read the leaflet that comes with your medication and tell us about any side effects you get.
Choose how you do healthcare.
We know health, but you know you.
Our experts tell you what’s safe, but you decide what’s best.
Consult on your own time
Answer a few questions and tell us about yourself. Get tailored advice from our doctors so you can choose better.
Treatments to fit your life
Choose your treatment and how often you have it delivered.
Your health, continued
We know things change. It’s the nature of life. We’ll check in regularly to make sure your treatment is still right for you.
Control at your fingertips
Pause. Change. Skip. Start again. Any time you like.
More general health
Here are some other things we can help with besides PrEP.
High cholesterol
Reduce your cholesterol levels with easily renewed prescriptions and subscription treatment.
Hypertension
Let's make managing hypertension easier. Renew your prescription and get ongoing support from our doctors.
Iron deficiency anaemia
Ongoing care and advice for anaemia. Treatments on subscription, delivered when you need them.
Quit smoking
Quit smoking treatments that can help you kick the habit forever, and reduce your risk of disease.
Weight loss
Tablets or injections. Tailored weight loss treatments combined with ongoing support from our experts.
Give us the inbox treatment.
We're making healthcare more about you. Sign up to our newsletter for personalised health articles that make a difference.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.
