Guides

Trans people and HIV meds

HIV drugs are very safe and effective for transgender people.

Most modern HIV meds do not have any drug interactions with gender-affirming hormone therapy.

However, it is important to check for potential interactions and for your doctor to know about these.

This is because some of the older HIV meds can interact with some hormones.

These are mainly:

  1. HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) especially if boosted by ritonavir or cobicistat. This included darunavir, atazanavir and lopinavir.
  2. Older NNRTIs (nevirapine, efavirenz and etravirine).
  3. Lenacapavir can increase the levels of some androgen blockers (bicalutamide, cyproterone acetate and dutasteride).

Most of these HIV drugs are not widely used and none of them are recommended for first-line ART in the UK .

An excellent factsheet from the Liverpool University lists all the potential interactions, between gender hormones and HIV meds. It also includes advice on any dose changes and monitoring if needed.

Useful links to clinics with trans services

CliniQ, South London

CliniQ is a London-based specialist clinic providing sexual health and well-being services for trans people (not just HIV). It is based at Kings College Hospital in South London.

56T clinic, Soho, London

56T clinic at Dean Street has a very busy PrEP service for trans and non-binary people.

Butterfly clinic, Liverpool

Butterfly is our sexual health clinic for trans and non-binary folk.

Clinic T

Clinic T is a trans and non-binary friendly sexual health service in Brighton.

Indigo Gender Service

Indigo Gender Service is an NHS trans health care service in Manchester.

LGBT Edinburgh, Scotland

A new transgender sexual health service in Leith, Edinburgh

Trans and non-binary people and PrEP

https://i-base.info/guides/prep/prep-for-trans-and-non-binary-people

Last updated: 1 November 2024.