Click on the options below to see if we recommend PEP
Have you had sex in the last 72 hours?
PEP is only useful if started within 72 hours of the last risk.
Are you male?
If the partner was definitely HIV positive and not on treatment AND you had condomless vaginal or anal sex together. Or you shared injecting needles
If you had a partner of unknown HIV status belonging to a group at high risk of HIV (e.g. They’re from Africa/ SE Asia or inject drugs) AND you had condomless anal sex. Or you shared injecting needles
Other Information
Oral sex, semen (cum) in the eye, and human bites would not change our advice. People on effective HIV treatment are not infectious. They cannot pass the infection to others.
Did you have receptive anal sex?
Without a condom?
(their penis in your anus)
Taking PEP would reduce your risk of HIV. Ideally this should be started within 24 hours. PEP is not recommended if more than 72 hours has passed since the last risk.
Go to any sexual health (GUM) clinic or A&E department and explain you need ‘HIV PEP’
Was the sex with another man/men?
If the partner was definitely HIV positive and not on treatment AND you had condomless vaginal or anal sex together. Or you shared injecting needles
If you had a partner of unknown HIV status belonging to a group at high risk of HIV* AND you had condomless anal sex together. Or you shared injecting needles
Other Information
Oral sex, semen (cum) in the eye, and human bites would not change our advice. People on effective HIV treatment are not infectious. They cannot pass the infection to others.
*e.g. They’re from Africa/ SE Asia or inject drugs
Did you have anal sex without a condom?
Taking PEP would reduce your chance of HIV. Ideally this should be started within 24 hours. PEP is not recommended if more than 72 hours has passed since the last risk.
Go to any sexual health (GUM) clinic or A&E department and explain you need ‘HIV PEP’
Did you share needles for injecting?
Taking PEP would reduce your risk of HIV. Ideally this should be started within 24 hours. PEP is not recommended if more than 72 hours has passed since the last risk.
Go to any sexual health (GUM) clinic or A&E department and explain you need ‘HIV PEP’
Did you have insertive anal sex without a condom?
(your penis in their anus)
Your risk of catching HIV is less than 1 in 1000.
It might be considered if you could see blood or if there was a visible break in the skin after anal sex without a condom (e.g. from trauma).
Oral sex (both sucking and being sucked), semen (cum) in the eye, and human bites would not change our advice.
Your risk of catching HIV is less than 1 in 1000.
Oral sex (both sucking and being sucked), semen (cum) in the eye, and human
bites would not change our advice.
Was your partner(s) HIV positive?
If you haven’t been exposed to HIV you don’t need PEP.
Are they on HIV treatment with an undetectable viral load?
The PARTNER study looked at the risk of HIV being passed on by an HIV positive person whose virus was suppressed on treatment. This is commonly referred to as ‘undetectable’. They monitored 10,000’s of people having condomless anal sex. The study couldn’t find any cases where HIV was passed on. That’s why PEP is not recommended.
Oral sex (both sucking and being sucked), semen (cum) in the eye, and human bites would not change our advice.
Did you share needles for injecting?
Taking PEP would reduce your risk of HIV. Ideally this should be started within 24 hours. PEP is not recommended if more than 72 hours has passed since the last risk.
Go to any sexual health (GUM) clinic or A&E department and explain you need ‘HIV PEP’
Your risk of catching HIV is less than 1 in 1000.
Oral sex (both sucking and being sucked), semen (cum) in the eye, and human bites would not change our advice.
There is a rare exception where PEP might be considered. If you were sucking someone and there were breaks in the lining of your throat (e.g. Trauma from rough sex) AND the person told you that they had caught HIV in the last few weeks.
