Protect your health with PrEP

Researchers from NIHR ARC West and the University of Bristol are working with NHS Unity Sexual Health to explore if it’s possible to make PrEP available via pharmacies. PrEP is a pill taken by people who are HIV negative before sex to protect themselves from getting HIV.

Interested in finding out more PrEP and accessing it from a pharmacy for free on the NHS? Then read on.

What is HIV?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) prevents the immune system from working properly.

The HIV virus is spread through blood and some other bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. HIV can be passed from person to person through unprotected vaginal or anal sex, breastfeeding, when giving birth or sharing needles to inject drugs.

You cannot catch HIV from shaking hands, sharing toilets, cuddling, kissing, coughing, sneezing or spitting.

Medication is available for people who have HIV to protect their immune system, but they will have the virus for the rest of their life. People living with HIV and regularly taking HIV medication (reducing the amount of virus to ‘undetectable’ levels) cannot pass HIV on through sex.

A person living with HIV has a similar life expectancy to an HIV-negative person, if they are diagnosed early and regularly take their HIV medication.

It is important to test regularly for HIV. If you are diagnosed late, the virus may have already started to damage your immune system.

What is PrEP

PrEP is a pill taken by people who are HIV negative before sex. PrEP stands for ‘pre-exposure prophylaxis’. This means pre-exposure to the medication to protect from getting HIV.

PrEP works by stopping the HIV virus from getting into the body, making copies of itself and becoming a permanent infection. PrEP must be taken as directed by a healthcare professional to build up enough protection.

When taken as directed, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by 99%. PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from injecting drugs by at least 74%.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is for anyone who may be at risk of HIV infection. Some people are at higher risk of HIV than others, especially if having unprotected sex.

If you are concerned about your risk of HIV, PrEP might be right for you.

How to access PrEP from a pharmacy or sexual health clinic

PrEP is available free on the NHS. You can access PrEP confidentially in Bristol through five community pharmacies (see below) or NHS Unity Sexual Health.

Here’s how:

1. Pharmacies

If you want to learn more about PrEP or would like access to it, ask to speak to a pharmacist at any of these five community pharmacies in the Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire area:

The pharmacists will take you to a consultation room to talk privately and confidentially. They will check whether PrEP is a safe and suitable option for you. They will ask some questions about the type of sex you are having, your general health, medications and allergies. This should take around 10-20 minutes.

If the pharmacist thinks you could benefit from PrEP and you are interested in starting it, they will provide you with a testing kit to use at home. This will check for kidney function, sexually transmitted infections and HIV. You will be asked to post the completed test kit to Unity Sexual Health, free of charge.

The results of your tests will be texted to your mobile and Unity will text you a time and date for a telephone appointment. Unity will then contact you via a withheld number to discuss PrEP, whether it is right for you, the best way to take it and where you would like your prescription posted to.

2. Sexual health clinic (Unity)

You can book an in-person appointment via the Unity Sexual Health website.

A health care professional from the clinic will discuss PrEP privately and confidentially with you and determine if it is suitable for you.

If the health care professional thinks you could benefit from PrEP and you would like to start taking it, they will test you for kidney function, sexually transmitted infections and HIV. They will discuss the best way to take PrEP and give you the medication to take away with you.

More information about PrEP

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Logos of Unity Sexual Health, Community Pharmacy Avon and University of Bristol