Key points on pre exposure prophylaxis

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily course of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) taken by HIV-negative people to protect themselves from infection.
Evidence shows that, when taken consistently and correctly, PrEP reduces the chances of HIV infection to near-zero.
PrEP is cost effective, and there is growing demand for it from people at higher risk of HIV infection, but the scale and coverage currently remains limited.
PrEP does not protect against other STIs so needs to be delivered as part of a comprehensive package of HIV/STI prevention services.
PrEP’s effectiveness decreases rapidly if not taken regularly as prescribed, so addressing the barriers preventing adherence is key to success.