How to get PrEP:
- Choose how you want to get PrEP:
- Going to a medical provider at a clinic:
- Going to a pharmacist at a pharmacy:
- Coming soon to Walgreens Community Pharmacy in Oakland. Call for info at 510-285-0213.
- Having a video visit with a tele-health PrEP service:
- PlushCare’s PrEP Program
- Nurx PrEP Online
- QCare+ (for Descovy only)
2. Tell them you want to start PrEP when you make the appointment so you can get an HIV test and PrEP prescription on the same day.
- At the visit, the provider will ask:
- If you might have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours. (In that case, you would need PEP instead (see below).
- If you have had flu-like symptoms in the past 4-6 weeks (which can actually be HIV symptoms if you were exposed to HIV during that time.)
- If you have ever been told that you have kidney problems or hepatitis b infection. (You can still get PrEP, but they will need more information first.)
- The provider will offer a rapid HIV test. It will be with a fingerstick or a mouth swab test.



3. Get your PrEP!
- If the HIV test is negative and your provider doesn’t have any medical concerns, you can get your PrEP that day! They might write you a prescription to get from a pharmacy or give you a bottle of PrEP to take home with you.
- Choose how you want to take PrEP. Your prescription will be for 30 pills to last 30 days.
- If anal sex is the only way you might get exposed to HIV, you have a few options:
- Get F/TDF
- Start taking one pill a day every day – you will be protected from HIV after 7 days.
- OR start with 2 pills on the first day, then one pill every day – you will be protected in 24 hours.
- OR use 2-1-1 dosing only when you are going to have sex – you will be protected between 2-24 hours before you have sex as long as you remember your doses after sex too!
- Get F/TAF
- Start taking one pill a day every day – you will be protected from HIV after 7 days.
- Get F/TDF
- If anal sex is the only way you might get exposed to HIV, you have a few options:
- If you have vaginal/front hole sex or share injection equipment, you will need to take F/TDF every day.
4. Get the rest of your PrEP labs done. There are a few other tests your provider will order, and you will need to get them done within about 7 days of your visit to make sure you are ok to continue taking PrEP.
5. Make a plan for getting refills. Here are some options:
- Pick up from a pharmacy.
- Pick it up from your clinic.
- Get it delivered by mail (ask your pharmacy if they offer this).
- Get if delivered by a driver (check out Alto Pharmacy for this option).
6. Make a plan for follow up visits. Talk with your provider about when you should come back for another appointment (usually in 1-3 months); ask about doing a video/phone visit in the future if that’s easier for you.
Coming soon: get a Free PrEP lab kit sent to your home through Take Me Home.
How to get PEP:
If you have been exposed to HIV through sex or needles in the past 3 days, you can get a medication to prevent getting HIV. This is urgent (the sooner, the better!) so find the nearest available PEP provider and follow these steps:
- Click here to find a PEP provider and select or search for “pep.”
- Call the number directly (to avoid any delays) and say “I might have been exposed to HIV and I am looking for PEP.”
- Follow their directions for an appointment – if they can’t get you an appointment within 3 days of when you were exposed, go to the nearest emergency room instead.
- Get an HIV test, PEP labs, and prescription for PEP on the same day.
- Get your PEP medications and start taking them right away. You will need to take PEP every day for 28 days to get full protection.
- Talk about a plan for starting PrEP as soon as you finish PEP.
- Go to your follow up visit after you finished PEP to recheck labs and start PrEP.