You may be at risk of HIV if you are HIV-negative and you:
- do not always use condoms for sex
- share drug-injecting equipment
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is medicine you take to reduce your risk of HIV infection.
Some people can get PrEP free of charge.
Getting free PrEP
You can often get PrEP free if:
- you are likely to benefit from it
- it is safe for you to take
- you will attend follow-up appointments, usually every 3 to 6 month
To get it through a public PrEP clinic you will need 1 of these cards:
You can apply for a DPS card if you have a PPS number. Talk to your pharmacist about the Drugs Payment Scheme.
If you do not have a PPS number, you can apply to get one.
Getting a PPS number - citizensinformation.ie
You can get PrEP from other approved PrEP providers such as your GP or a private clinic. But you will have to pay for the consultation, investigations, STI treatment and vaccines.
PrEP is given through community pharmacies.
Approved PrEP service providers
Who benefits from PrEP?
You are likely to benefit from PrEP for many reasons.
You are having sex without condoms with HIV-positive partners who are either:
- not on HIV treatment
- on treatment but not virally suppressed (do not have an undetectable viral load)
An undetectable viral load is when the virus exists in such small amounts that it can’t be detected by standard blood tests. It means the level of HIV in your body is so low, it can’t be passed on. This needs to be monitored regularly by a healthcare professional.
You are a man who has sex with men. This includes transgender men who have sex with men or transgender women who have sex with men, and 1 of the following:
- had anal sex without condoms with more than 1 partner in the last 6 months
- likely to have anal sex without a condom in the next 3 months
- had an STI in the past year
- used HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in the past year
- used recreational drugs for sex (also known as chemsex) in the last 6 months
You are considered to be at risk of HIV through:
- sex
- sharing injecting drug equipment.
Who cannot get free PrEP
You cannot get free PrEP if you are in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who is:
- living with HIV on treatment and has an undetectable viral load
- HIV negative
If you cannot get free PrEP
If you are not eligible for free PrEP you can pay for it. You can buy PrEP through community pharmacies with a prescription.
Who should not take PrEP?
Do not take PrEP if you:
- have HIV
- do not know your HIV status
- are allergic to the PrEP medicines available in Ireland
Buying PrEP online
It is possible to buy generic PrEP products over the internet.
It is illegal:
- to source prescription medicine without a prescription
- for suppliers to sell prescription medicines online to people in Ireland
The Health Products Regulation Authority (HPRA) has information on the risks of buying medicines online.
