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Talk right away (within 72 hours) to your health care provider, an emergency room doctor, or an urgent care provider about PEP if you think you’ve recently been exposed to HIV:

  • during sex (for example, if the condom broke),

  • through sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs (for example, cookers), or

  • if you’ve been sexually assaulted.

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, means taking antiretroviral medicines (ART) after being potentially exposed to HIV to prevent becoming infected. PEP should be used only in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after a recent possible exposure to HIV. 

More information about PEP

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