What is PrEP?
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective method of preventing HIV. People who are HIV negative can use it to lower their chance of getting HIV. Using PrEP involves taking medication – available by prescription – and regular medical appointments for monitoring and support.
Prep is not…
- the same thing as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PrEP is taken regularly before and after potential exposures to HIV, whereas PEP is taken for 28 days after a single potential exposure.
- an effective prevention strategy of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Barrier methods are required to lower the risk of contracting other STIs.
There are three types of PrEP approved by Health Canada:
- Truvada: A pill that can be taken daily or on-demand (on days before or after sex)
- Descovy: a pill that is taken daily. No generics are currently available in Canada.
- Apretude: a long-lasting injection that is given by a medical practitioner. No generics are currently available in Canada.
Who is PrEP For?
PrEP is recommended for those who are HIV negative who:
- Have condomless vaginal or anal sex or;
- Has a partner who is HIV positive and participates in condomless sex or;
- Use and share injectable drug equipment (needles)
Couples who are in a closed relationship, meaning neither party participates in sexual contact with anyone other than each other, are considered at low risk for becoming HIV positive and do not need to start taking PrEP.
How Does PrEP Work?
HIV is a lifelong infection, and while it is manageable with the proper medication, immunodeficiency viruses attack your immune system, which is your body’s natural defence system, and with a compromised immune system your body has a harder time fighting against disease. PrEP prevents HIV from replicating within your body’s immune cells, preventing permanent infection. Consistent and correct usage of PrEP reduces the user’s risk of getting HIV from sexual contact by 92-99%.
What are the Side Effects of Taking PrEP?
Drug resistance can develop if you take PrEP and are HIV positive. This means the drug may not work to treat HIV, limiting treatment options. To avoid this, individuals taking PrEP are required to have regular visits with a healthcare provider to test for HIV and monitor side effects.
Side effects, when they occur, are generally mild and go away after stopping the medication.
In the pill form, side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and dizziness. The pill form is also associated with some small decrease in kidney, bone, and rarely liver health – though these have been found to be reversible after stopping taking PrEP.
Those who take the injection may experience some mild to moderate pain at the injection site (though this tends to decrease after multiple injections), headache, diarrhea, and feeling hot.
How to Access PrEP
To start the process of using PrEP, please book an appointment with one of our doctors. They will complete a full STI test, assess your risk level for HIV, and go through the pros and cons with you.
The cost of PrEP is covered by special authorization through the Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program. You will first need to enroll yourself in this program. Once this is done, your care provider will need to provide special authorization through this form. Otherwise, some private insurance plans will cover PrEP. These may come with their own special authorization forms that your care provider will need to fill out. Note: Pharmacare approvals requires you meet certain demographic criteria for approval. Please review the form to ensure you would be covered. Private insurance may have their own demographic requirements.
Once taking PrEP, you will need to receive regular check-ups with one of our physicians or your primary healthcare provider to test for HIV and monitor side effects.
Booking an Appointment
Booking an appointment with us is easy! Give us a call at 902.455.9656 ext. 0. You will be speaking with either a volunteer or a medical administrator. We cannot book appointments by email or Facebook. You cannot book an appointment for someone else, even if they are your partner or child. We will need to speak with the person directly. To book, we will need your full name, birth date, phone number, and a very brief reason for your visit. That’s it! The person on the phone will outline anything you need to know to prepare for your appointment. Our average wait time for an appointment is 4-6 weeks from the day you call.
Make sure you bring your valid provincial health card with you to your appointment. Clients without health cards are subject to doctors and lab fees.
Are you a youth? You do not need parental consent for any of our appointments.
Don’t have access to or lost your health card? You are entitled to your health card information! Call MSI toll-free at 1-800-563-8880 (in Nova Scotia) or at 902-496-7008 from Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. We require the number and the expiry date. Another tip: take a picture of your card! You will never lose it again!
Works Cited
Arkell, C., and C. Harrigan. “HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).” CATIE.ca, 2025, https://www.catie.ca/hiv-pre-exposure-prophylaxis-prep. Accessed 9 July 2025.
Community-Based Research Centre, and Sexual Health Nova Scotia. “PrEP in Nova Scotia.” https://shns.ca/prep-for-hiv/.
in Nova Scotia.