Recently diagnosed with HIV? Click here

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is a medical treatment that can be given to people recently exposed to HIV to prevent them becoming HIV-positive. PEP is available free of charge in Australia, but must be given within 72 hours (ideally within 24 hours) of exposure.

If you have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours call 1800 737 669 (NSW), 1800 889 887 (Vic); contact your state AIDS Council; or go to your nearest sexual health centre or public hospital.

If you think your female partner has been exposed

From Treat Yourself Right • 11 June 2009

While transmission between female sex partners is rare it is not impossible. read more »

If you think your male partner has been exposed

From Treat Yourself Right • 11 June 2009

If you have had unprotected sex with a man, he is at risk of HIV, but there is a course of treatment that will minimise the likelihood of him acquiring HIV. read more »

Emerging information about the pathogenesis of HIV: implications for urgency of PEP and PREP Research

Story • Kirsty Machon • 11 October 2005
Sex and relationships

A summary of current research into CD4 cell loss in early infection and its implications for HIV prevention, by NAPWA policy analyst Kirsty Machon. read more »

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

From HIV+ Gay Sex • 1 July 2002

If your partner is exposed to HIV during sex through unprotected intercourse or a broken condom there is a treatment option available that may prevent infection. PEP involves taking a combination of at least two anti-HIV drugs for 28 days. As with other HIV treatment regimes, PEP must be taken at strict times of the day. read more »

If something goes wrong...

From At home ... away • 1 July 2001

If you think you have been exposed to HIV, there is, in a few places, a treatment available that may prevent HIV infection.This is called post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. read more »

Syndicate content
Text size: font smallerfont normalfont larger

Stay in touch

NAPWA's email newsletters provide regular info about issues affecting people with HIV and the response to HIV in Australia. Click here to subscribe.

Subscribe to Positive Living

Our free quarterly newsmagazine, Positive Living provides authoritative, independent information about living with HIV and HIV treatments. Click here to subscribe.

RSS feeds

Our website has RSS feeds covering all topic areas — just go to the topic area you're interested in and click the RSS feed icon.

Twitter users can stay up-to-date with NAPWA's work and be alerted to new content on the website by following @napwa.

HIV Clinical Trials update

Recently updated entries from the NAPWA Clinical Trials database.

more