New CDC Initiative Educates Providers about PrEP and PEP

CDC’s Act Against AIDS initiative recently launched Prescribe HIV Prevention, a new initiative for healthcare providers that focuses on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The target audience includes primary care providers, infectious disease and HIV specialists, nurses, and public health practitioners.

PrEP is a way for people who are HIV-negative but at high risk for getting the virus to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill every day. PrEP is highly effective when taken as prescribed. PEP is the use of antiretroviral drugs after a single high-risk event to prevent HIV. It must be started within 72 hours of a possible exposure.

Prescribe HIV Prevention educates providers and patients about these biomedical prevention tools and encourages providers to consider PrEP and PEP for patients at high risk for HIV. It includes resources such as a guide for discussing sexual health with patients, brochures and posters to educate patients about PrEP and PEP, continuing medical education programs, and a medication guide for patients.