33319 Providing PrEP Services to Your Patients

Course overview

Discussion of providing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to patients including studies on PrEP efficacy, the eligibility criteria for PrEP, follow-up care required for individuals receiving PrEP, and challenges related to the adolescent population in regards to HIV prevention. HIV and AIDS are a major public health issue in both the U.S. and around the world. In 2017, more than 38,000 individuals were diagnosed with HIV, and at the end of 2015, approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. were living with HIV. Of these, one in seven people did not know that they were infected. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is designed for individuals who are at very high risk for contracting HIV to reduce the risk of HIV infection. PrEP consists of daily medication that these individuals take orally, and when taken consistently, it reduces the risk of contracting HIV from sex by more than 90%. It also reduces the risk of HIV infection from injecting drugs by more than 70%. When PrEP is combined with condoms and/or other HIV prevention methods, the risk of HIV infection from sex can be reduced even further. This program discusses PrEP prescription guidelines, risks and benefits, eligibility criteria, follow-up care for individuals receiving PrEP, and organizational gaps preventing PrEP implementation.