5 Things You Should Know About PrEP

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis and is a preventative option for people who do not have HIV, but are at a high risk of contracting HIV.

The word “prophylaxis” means to prevent or control the spread of an infection or disease. PrEP is a pill that contains two medicines that are also used to treat HIV. If someone is taking PrEP and are exposed to HIV, PrEP will work to keep the virus from taking hold in the body.

Here are the top five things you should know before beginning a PrEP regimen.

1. It is not 100% Effective at Preventing HIV

PrEP is a pill taken daily and should be paired with other prevention methods such as using a condom. Taking a pill daily is 99% effective at preventing the disease however, taking this pill less frequent than once a day will decrease its efficacy and it’s not recommended to be taken that way. It does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STI) or pregnancy. It is not a cure for HIV.

2. Truvada® is the First FDA Approved Drug to Prevent HIV

For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a drug treatment that will prevent infection in healthy people. While the pill can be expensive, most insurance providers cover at least part of the drug’s cost. It is also generally cheaper to pay for prevention than to cover the costs of treating people infected with HIV.

3. PrEP is Not a Vaccine

PrEP is not a vaccine and does not work like a vaccine; it is a pill that is taken daily. The FDA-approved pill is called Truvada®, which uses a combination of the HIV medications tenofovir and emtricitabine to block the pathways that HIV uses to set up an infection.

4. PrEP is Different From PEP

PEP is any prophylactic (preventive) treatment started immediately after exposure to blood or bodily fluid contaminated with a pathogen (such as a disease-causing virus), in order to prevent infection and the development of disease. To put it simply, PrEP is before (pre-exposure) you come in contact with the disease and PEP is after (post-exposure).

5. Some Side Effects Are Possible

Truvada® for PrEP is generally safe and well tolerated. Most people on PrEP report experiencing no side effects, but some side effects were reported in clinical trials. These included nausea, headaches, and weight loss.

To schedule an appointment with one of our board certified specialists call (407) 647-3960 or click here to request an appointment.

OUR TEAM

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

Dr. DeJesus Recognized by Orlando Magazine

For the 5th consecutive year, Dr. DeJesus has been recognized by his peers in Orlando Magazine for his work as medical director at Orlando Immunology Center. Dr. DeJesus is a graduate from the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine training and Infectious Disease fellowship at the Medical College of…

Join OIC at the 2015 AIDS Walk Orlando

Orlando Immunology Center is pleased to announce that we will again be sponsoring a team at this year’s 2015 AIDS Walk Orlando. If you are interested in joining our team or donating to this worthwhile cause, please let us know. Saturday, March 28, 2015 In Florida, 15% of all new HIV infections reported among females…

OIC Wins Wave Award for Favorite Local Healthcare Professional

The Orlando Immunology Center (OIC) announced today they have received the Central Florida/Orlando 2015 Watermark Awards for Variety and Excellence (WAVE) Award for favorite local healthcare professional. “We see this as a huge honor and will continue to do everything in our power to help patients from all walks of life be healthy, happy and…

[NPR] How Safe Is It To Eat Takeout?

With the fear of infection on our minds these days, it’s easy to get panicky about everyday choices. Infectious disease and food safety experts weigh in on ordering dinner to-go. “I know people are worried, but from what we know currently about the virus, it’s safe to eat food prepared at restaurants so long as…

[FactCheck] COVID-19 Face Mask Advice, Explained

It’s a seemingly simple question that has divided experts and nations since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak: Should members of the public who aren’t sick use face masks to limit the spread of the disease? For months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintained that the only people who needed to wear face…

OIC is now conducting COVID-19 Treatment and Prevention studies in addition to other clinical research trials! Inquire below today!

Orlando Immunology Center (OIC) is proud to announce to the Central Florida community that our research center located at 1707 N Mills  Avenue, Orlando, 32803 has been selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN) to participate in one of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine studies sponsored by Oxford University and AstraZeneca. OIC…

Tips For Social Distancing, Quarantine, And Isolation During An Infectious Disease Outbreak

In the event of an infectious disease outbreak, local officials may require the public to take measures to limit and control the spread of the disease. This tip sheet provides information about social distancing, quarantine, and isolation. The government has the right to enforce federal and state laws related to public health if people within…

Why Creating an HIV Vaccine Matters Now

Sex. We all have sex. It’s natural. We might not talk about it but it’s literally how we all got here. When was the last time you had sex? In the last year? This brings us to why creating an HIV vaccine matters now more than ever. But I don’t have HIV, so why does…

What is the Purpose of PrEP?

What is PrEP? How effective is PrEP? How long do I take PrEP before it works? What medications are taken during PrEP? Does PrEP have side effects? How do I get started? Is PrEP right for me? Preventing an HIV infection could be what saves your life, and thanks to drugs like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV…

Hurricane Ian Closure

Our office will close at 12pm on Wednesday, September 28th and remain closed through Thursday, September 29th due to Hurricane Ian. We will resume seeing patients as soon as it is safe to do so. For updates, please check back here or give us a call. Stay safe!

Tropical Storm Nicole Closure

Due to tropical storm Nicole, our office will be closed on Thursday, November 10th. All patients with appointments scheduled for Thursday will be seen through a tele-health visit. Those with procedures scheduled may be rescheduled on Friday or early next week. Our team will be reaching out to you to provide more details. We will resume…

2022 Holiday Hours

So that we may all enjoy the holidays, our office will be closed on the following days. Thursday, November 24th Friday, November 25th Monday, December 26th Monday, January 2nd

Charlotte-Paige Rolle, M.D. and Federico Hinestrosa, M.D. featured on Spectrum News 13

Our very own Charlotte-Paige Rolle, M.D. and Federico Hinestrosa, M.D. appeared on Spectrum News 13 to discuss Orlando Immunology Center’s recent progress in the research of long-acting HIV medications. CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY

« Previous
1
…
5
6
7
8
Next »