This week, we’re spotlighting how HIV prevention pill PrEP can help you look after your sexual health as a trans or non-binary person.
PrEP (short for pre-exposure prophylaxis) works just as well for trans people as it does for cisgender people. PrEP can help to protect you from HIV by preventing the transmission of HIV during sex. It’s safe for trans or non-binary people who are taking hormones and will not stop any hormones you are taking from working. PrEP is also safe with all forms of contraception.
One of Terrence Higgins Trust’s aims in our most recent PrEP campaign in Brighton & Hove was to bring awareness and information about PrEP to trans people in the area. We also offered to make a clinic appointment for those who wanted to take the next step. Over 3,000 trans people viewed the campaign and an above average amount then clicked through to learn more about PrEP.
Brighton is also home to a new initiative to get PrEP out to those who need it most, including the trans community. Its community PrEP clinic, PrEP2U, a partnership between Terrence Higgins Trust and SHAC, brings the sexual health clinic out into the community, offering a full sexual health screen and a prescription of PrEP to take home.
So, could PrEP be right for you?
PrEP could be helpful if the sex you are having is not always as safe as you would like it to be. If it is sometimes difficult to use condoms or to be sure of your partner’s HIV status, PrEP could make the sex safer. PrEP offers protection during vaginal/frontal and anal sex. It’s safe to use and is effective regardless of any gender-affirming surgeries that you've had.
'When I was first offered PrEP, I didn’t think it was for someone like me,' says Brighton PrEP user Finn. 'Since I’ve been taking it, I’ve felt empowered about the choices I can make to have a healthier and safer sex life. I no longer worry about HIV. I now have regular check-ups and feel in control of my sexual health.'
You can get PrEP for free on the NHS from a sexual health clinic. Before taking PrEP you should take an HIV test (to confirm that you are HIV negative) and a blood test to check your kidney function.
PrEP can be taken in two ways; daily or on-demand. Speak to your healthcare professional about your options. For PrEP to work well, it’s important to take it or use it consistently, as directed by your healthcare provider. You can stop taking PrEP if you no longer feel it’s useful for you, and the option to re-start is always there.
Remember, while PrEP can prevent HIV, it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy. Condoms can help protect you against STIs and unwanted pregnancy. In some parts of the world PrEP is available as a long-term injectable, but this isn’t available in the UK yet.
Getting the word out about PrEP is vital if we are to reach our goal of ending new cases of HIV in the UK by 2030, and trans and non-binary people must be at the heart of this.
Find out more:
A guide to PrEP and PEP for trans women, trans feminine and non-binary people.
A guide to PrEP and PEP for trans men, trans masculine and non-binary people.
