- Are you a sex worker? Then you might be at a higher risk of getting HIV
- Especially if your clients are men who have sex with men
- PrEP is a pill that keeps you from getting HIV
- You take it every day. Or only if you have sex
- You won’t have to worry about HIV during work
Is PrEP right for you?
PrEP is a pill that keeps you from getting HIV. Even when you have sex with a client or someone else who has HIV.
You can take PrEP:
- If you want to make sure you don’t get HIV
- If it is difficult to use a condom during work or outside work
Use a condom during sex as well. PrEP protects against HIV business units not other STIs.
How do you get PrEP
Do you want to take PrEP? You will need a prescription from your doctor. Make an appointment:
- With you doctor
- With the municipal health service (GGD). If you’re a sex worker, you often get helped quicker
- At a private clinic. You will pay all the costs yourself. One Day Clinic has private clinics all over the Netherlands. Find a clinic near you
Together you will determine whether PrEP is something for you. You then can pick up PrEP at the pharmacy.
Costs
The price of PrEP can vary greatly from pharmacy to pharmacy. At the pharmacy, prices range from €16.95 to €65,--. Check here where to get PrEP the cheapest near you. You are free to choose which pharmacy you go to. This can be different from the one where you get your other medications.
You can also order PrEP online. For this, you will also need a prescription from a doctor. Online prices range from €19.33 to €23.90, and the PrEP will be delivered to your home. Check here to see which online pharmacies offer PrEP.
Please note! Never order PrEP from an online pharmacy where you don’t have to upload a prescription. At these pharmacies, there is a high chance of receiving fake pills, which do not (properly) protect against HIV. Only order from the online pharmacies listed here.
Do you want to take PrEP? Take an HIV test beforehand
Do you want to take PrEP? First you have to make sure you don’t have HIV. Get an HIV test before you start taking PrEP. Also get tested for other STIs at the same time.
How to take PrEP
You can take the pills two ways:
- Once a day at around the same time
- Only when you have sex. You take PrEP before and after sex
Check out mantoman.nl to learn how to take the pills. And what to do if you forget to take the pill.
Please note! If you have a vagina and have vaginal sex, it takes longer for PrEP to become effective. You need to take 1 pill per day for 7 days before you can safely have sex. After sex, you must continue taking 1 pill per day for another 7 days to stay protected. For this reason, it's often easier for people with a vagina to take PrEP every day, throughout the entire month.
Side-effects
You can safely take PrEP. But the medicine may cause:
- Nausea
- Headache
The symptoms clear up after a few days.
PrEP and your health
You doctor monitors your health while you are taking PrEP. You will get tested for STIs and HIV on a regular basis. That way, you stay healthy at work and outside work.
Get three free Hepatitis B vaccinations
You can also catch Hepatitis B by having sex. Especially if you don’t use a condom. You can get very sick from it. Get vaccinated for free at the municipal health service (GGD). That way, you won’t catch this STI.
