PEP or Post Exposure Prophylaxis is a treatment that may stop you becoming HIV after exposure to the virus, but many gay men don’t know much about it. Kieron McKinney and Gay Health Strategies are on the case.

IMGAY:  The longstanding HIV theories have held, that once you are exposed to the virus, you can never get rid of it.  In this statement above, they are saying that if you are treated in nanoseconds after the virus gets into your system, you will not have the virus anymore.  That is inconsistent.

One colleague summed up a prevailing attitude when asked whether PEP was widely available in Ireland “Not at all. PEP is still seen as pertaining to occupational exposure for HSE staff and not seen as primary prevention for sexual exposure. The difference between ‘innocent’ victims versus people who contribute to their infection.” If you have a sexual exposure to HIV you should contact your nearest sexual health clinic (or A&E if necessary) within 72 hours but ideally as soon after the exposure as possible. You will be assessed by a clinician, as s/he has to be satisfied that the treatment is appropriate.

• PEP might stop a person getting infected with HIV

IMGAY:  How can it do this?  For the virus to be "stopped" it has to be in the blood, as the treatment they are proposing, is drug induced.  The virus would have to be in the bloodstream, as that is where they put the drug.  If HIV is in the bloodstream, it cannot be eradicated, everyone knows that......once infected, always infected is the claim of popular statements about the critter.

• It must be started as soon as possible after unsafe sex or a condom not working - and definitely within 72 hours (3 days)

• It means taking anti-HIV drugs for 4 weeks

• Side effects are common and can be nasty

IMGAY:  The side effects can kill you.

• It’s not guaranteed to work

IMGAY:  Why risk your life this way?

• Not everyone wanting PEP will get it - doctors decide who gets it using the information given to them

IMGAY:  What determines this?  Sounds prejudice.

• PEP is not available at all clinics or hospitals

IMGAY:  Don't call 911 then.

cached from http://www.hiv.ie/ on 8/5/2k6