Q and A

Question

Can my HIV negative partner take a pill to not catch HIV?

If I am positive and my partner is negative and if we have unprotected sex, is there a tablet he can buy over the counter?

If so, what is the names of a few tablets thats more likely to be sold internationally?

How well does this work and what is the dose he should take?

Any information on the topic would be appreciated.

Answer

Hi

Thanks for your question which I will answer in two parts.

Firstly, the pill you are asking about is called PrEP.

All your questions should be answered in this new online guide:
https://i-base.info/UK-Guide-to-PrEP

If taken as prescribed, PrEP is close to 100% effective.

However, a second point is that you didn’t say whether you were taking HIV treatment (ART)?

If yes, then if your viral load is undetectable, the risk to your partner is already close to zero – and may even be zero.

Your partner might still want to take PrEP if he is worried – but using both PrEP and ART are not needed.