PEP works better the sooner you get it, so you’ll have to go to the emergency room. Tell them you think you’ve been exposed to HIV and you want PEP right away.

Not all emergency rooms have PEP or every medication used as PEP. Sometimes the ER staff won’t know what PEP is, so you might want to ask for someone who knows more about HIV or infectious diseases. They should give you your first dose right there at the hospital, and then instructions about filling your prescription for the rest of the medication.

PEP isn’t cheap. It can cost up to between $900 and $2000 for the month you need to take it, and you may have to pay for it yourself if you don’t have a health plan that covers it. In Nova Scotia, PEP prescribed after sexual assault is covered by MSI. If you don’t have the money to afford it, tell the people in the ER. They may be able to help you find a way to access the medications. Most private insurance plans will cover PEP.

This section was adapted, with permission, from The Sex You Want Website.
You can learn more about where we got this information from at: SHNS
*disclaimer: we do not necessarily endorse all of the information, content, or language used in these references