PrEP and Related Checkups

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a method that people at risk for HIV take to prevent getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV infection. However, PrEP does not prevent other infections like HPV, Syphilis, Chlamydia or Herpes.

In 2020, 130 countries including South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, UK, USA, Vietnam, Thailand, etc., reported that they had adopted the WHO recommendations on oral PrEP in national guidelines, with a further 23 countries reporting that they plan to adopt the recommendations in the next two years.

PrEP in Hong Kong can be obtained from private clinics or hospitals. If you are interested in getting PrEP in Hong Kong, make sure you have read the instructions and done the corresponding tests needed.

MY PrEP HK Service Introduction Video:
MY PrEP HK Introduction

What is PrEP?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is the use of anti-HIV medication under a doctor's advice to prevent HIV infection.

It is suitable for people who are HIV-negative but at risk of getting the virus. Truvada (emtricitabine-tenofovir DF) is a patented drug used for PrEP.

Please note that PrEP is not a vaccine. It can effectively prevent HIV infection from sex or injecting drugs only when taken correctly under a doctor's advice. If PrEP is used inconsistently, it will not work.

If you are thinking about using PrEP, you can make a reservation for the MY PrEP service to get the proper check-ups, doctor consultation and prescription.

Is there any side effect of PrEP?

The pill used for PrEP, Truvada®(also called FTC/TDF), has been used to treat people with HIV since 2004.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Truvada for PrEP use in 2012.

Adverse effects reported with PrEP are generally nonspecific and mild. However, renal function test was noted to be elevated and bone mineral density (BMD) decreased. In HIV infected patients, TDF/FTC is associated with liver and kidney complications. The possibility therefore exists that clinically significant toxicity may occur after prolonged use, particularly in those who have preexisting impaired renal function or osteoporosis.

That is why, it is very important to get the proper checkups and make sure you are HIV negative before using PrEP. Consult a doctor to know more about the PrEP checkups and medication.

Crucial steps before getting PrEP

You need to have the right medical check-up to be sure it is safe for you to use PrEP and you need to buy from a reliable supplier.

Get PrEP in THREE steps:

• You must take an HIV test and be sure that you are HIV-negative to avoid developing drug resistance to anti-HIV medication.
• You also need to be tested to ensure that you have good kidney and liver function.
• Consult a doctor and understand your dosage for PrEP – daily or on-demand.

If you are thinking about using PrEP, you can make a reservation for the My PrEP service to get the proper check-ups, doctor consultation and prescription.

How do I take PrEP?

If you are using PrEP correctly, it is very unlikely that you will get HIV. Research studies show that PrEP reduces the risk level of someone with HIV infecting you by more than 99%. There are 2 ways of taking PrEP, you just need to select either way.

Consult your doctor before deciding which method is suitable for you. Remember, it is important to follow the directions strictly to make PrEP useful in HIV prevention.

Daily PrEP

PrEP is most commonly taken as a once-a-day-pill. The easiest method for all genders is to take PrEP daily – take one pill at the same time each day.

If you are biologically male and not taking exogenous estradiol-based hormones, you are suggested to start the regimen by taking 2 PrEP pills 2-24 hours before having sex.

If you are biologically female or gender diverse people, start with taking 1 PrEP pill daily for 7 days before potential sexual exposure.

On demand PrEP

Some people are taking PrEP before and after sex (on demand).This method only works for biologically male who are not taking exogenous estradiol-based hormones.And this works only when the sexual activity is planned.

Take 2 pills 2-24 hours before sex, then 1 pill 24 hours after the first dose and another pill 48 hours after first dose. This is called 2-1-1 dosing.

In the event of sex on several days in a row, 1 pill should be taken each day until 48 hours after the last sexual intercourse.

If you are thinking about using PrEP, you can make a reservation for the My PrEP service to get the proper check-ups, doctor consultation and prescription.

How to Buy PrEP Medication in Hong Kong

PrEP is not available from the public hospitals in Hong Kong. If you would like to get PrEP in Hong Kong, you may visit private clinics or hospitals to do the checkups needed and get the prescription from a doctor.

You may download the leaflet below to know more about steps of getting PrEP in Hong Kong.

What To Do

You need to have the right medical check-up to be sure it is safe for you to use PrEP and you need to buy from a reliable supplier.

我該怎樣做？

在購買PrEP藥物前，你必須先進行適當的體檢，以確保使用PrEP藥物的安全性，你亦需要從可靠的供應商處購買PrEP藥物。

首先進行適當的體檢及獲得PrEP藥物的醫生處方。

你可以選擇使用 MY PLACE 的 MY PrEP服務 來進行所需的體檢及約見醫生。如果你的身體狀況適合使用PrEP藥物，醫生會為你提供處方。

下一步你需要帶同處方購買藥物，你可透過以下任何一種方式在香港購買PrEP藥物：

1. 於 MY PLACE 購買「舒發泰Truvada」價錢：$6,500/瓶 (30粒裝)，或於MY PLACE購買加拿大製副廠藥「APO-EMTRICITABINE-TENOFOVIR」價錢：$1,200(30粒裝)
2. 帶著處方到位於中環的創健醫療 購買Teno-Em 價錢：$1,200/瓶 (30粒裝) 你需要即場登記成為顧客方可購買。
3. 在其他私營機構購買「舒發泰Truvada」或副廠藥物。

PrEP身體檢查及藥物價錢

MY PLACE (非牟利機構的社企)