New York State Department of Health guidelines call for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) at certain times when people are potentially exposed to HIV when a condom breaks or during a sexual assault. PEP involves taking a combination of HIV medicines, usually for four weeks. There is no proof yet that PEP after HIV exposure outside the work setting reduces the risk of HIV infection. However, PEP does reduce the risk of HIV transmission after needle-sticks and helps prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission; so PEP may also be helpful for other types of exposure. PEP should be started as soon as possible, but no longer than 36 hours, after the exposure. PEP is not a “morning after” pill that you take for a day. For PEP to work, every dose of every medicine must be taken, for the full period of time. PEP can have serious side effects and should be taken with guidance from an experienced care provider. PEP is expensive, but payment assistance is available for sexual assault victims.
