Prevention should fit your body, relationships and life-not require you to fit a clinic's assumptions.
This guide is educational. Your symptoms, timing, medicines and test reports may change the right next step-please ask a qualified clinician.
The principles are the same; the conversation should be better
PrEP is medicine taken before possible exposure, while PEP is an urgent course started after a possible exposure. A clinician chooses the safest option after asking about timing, exposure route, kidney health, hepatitis status and other medicines.
For transgender people, care should also make room for gender-affirming hormones, surgeries, anatomy and the realities of access or discrimination. You should not have to educate a clinician before receiving respectful prevention care.
Ask for an interaction review
Available evidence does not support assuming that gender-affirming hormones simply "cancel out" HIV prevention, but the exact medicines and health history still matter. Bring names and doses to a consultation. PrEP and PEP do not protect against every STI or pregnancy, so a broader plan may be useful.
PEP is time-sensitive and should be assessed urgently, ideally as soon as possible and within 72 hours.
Your privacy is part of safety
Ask who will see your records, whether your chosen name can be used, and how medicines will arrive. If a service is disrespectful, that is a service problem-not a reason to stop seeking care.
An inclusive, confidential consultation can help you choose prevention with confidence.
