Recommencing PrEP

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Clinicians should advise any patient who has discontinued PrEP on how to safely recommence PrEP. Clinicians should advise that if and when a patient decides to recommence PrEP that they must first have repeat HIV testing in case they have acquired HIV infection during the time that they were not taking PrEP. All other baseline clinical and laboratory evaluations need to be repeated also when a patient recommences PrEP and quarterly visits for PrEP scripts and ongoing evaluations must follow thereafter.

 

Patients may want to recommence PrEP when:

  • entering a period of engaging in condomless sex
  • leaving a long-term relationship
  • starting a new relationship with an HIV-positive partner who is not on antiretroviral treatment, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown
  • travelling to or moving to a new region or country with high or unknown prevalence of HIV during which time they anticipate that they will be having condomless sex with casual partners, or using injectable drugs
  • commencing, or recommencing sex work
  • returning home to an overseas country which has a high HIV prevalence during which time they anticipate that they may have condomless sex, or injecting drug use with HIV-positive partners not on antiretroviral treatment or partners whose HIV status is unknown
  • entering, or leaving institutional or correctional facilities with the anticipation that they may have condomless sex, or injecting use with HIV-positive partners not on antiretroviral treatment or partners whose HIV status is unknown.