
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
Scroll To Top
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
My boyfriend is thinking about going on PrEP. Is that a good idea?
Maybe. In the war against the spread of HIV, doctors and patients have powerful new weapons, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, a.k.a. PrEP. As with any weapon, we must use PrEP with caution and respect lest it backfire, causing more harm than good. Based on recent studies, PrEP works by lowering the ability of HIV to establish infection after an exposure when taken daily (the risk of getting HIV is directly proportional to medication levels) and when used with condoms.
What you should know:
• You cannot miss doses. It is far too risky to conclude that even if you miss doses, PrEP may still provide reliable HIV prevention. And while the diagnoses of other sexually transmitted infections were not statistically different among study participants using PrEP compared to those who weren’t, the percentage of new STI infections in the PrEP group was certainly higher, suggesting a trend toward riskier sexual behavior (and reinforcing the importance of using condoms).
• There can be side effects. Side effects of PrEP are generally well tolerated. However, kidney or liver damage is a real risk. We’ll need some time and experience to link other factors—for example, alcohol use—with the risk of organ damage in people using PrEP.
Trending stories
• You need to have an honest discussion of risks, benefits, and side effects with your health care provider. Before starting PrEP, tell your provider if you have symptoms of a viral infection, and after starting, report unusual symptoms or side effects as soon as they occur.
After you start, it takes up to seven days for PrEP to be effective. And make sure you’re screened regularly for other STIs, many of which you may have and spread to partners
even with no symptoms. Misinformation on the correct use of PrEP may be as harmful as not
using PrEP at all.
Plus’s wellness editor Joseph Arcuri Jr., MD, has a private practice in internal medicine in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, with a focus on preventive medicine, men’s health, and HIV care. He’s also an assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Grindr is reminding us why jockstraps are so sexy and iconic
May 02 2025 5:36 PM
BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs
March 18 2025 6:10 PM
Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources
January 31 2025 5:29 PM
Celebrating Black History Month with our annual African American issue
February 01 2025 3:28 PM
Tyler TerMeer vows to continue to fight for health care for all
January 28 2025 3:00 PM
Discover the power of Wellness in your life
March 26 2025 12:41 PM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Dancer. Healer. Survivor. DéShaun Armbrister is all of the above
July 02 2025 8:23 PM
Two right-wing Supreme Court justices signal they may uphold access to PrEP and more
April 21 2025 4:10 PM
Broadway's best raise over $1 million for LGBTQ+ and HIV causes
April 03 2025 7:15 PM
Lexi Love comes out as HIV+ after Trump deletes federal resources
January 23 2025 11:23 AM
This long-term HIV survivor says testosterone therapy helped save his life.
December 16 2024 8:00 PM
Ricky Martin delivers showstopping performance for 2024 World AIDS Day
December 05 2024 12:08 PM
BREAKING: Supreme Court rules to save free access to preventive care, including PrEP
June 27 2025 10:32 AM
1985: the year the AIDS crisis finally broke through the silence
June 26 2025 11:24 AM
Trump admin guts $258 million in funding for HIV vaccine research
June 03 2025 3:47 PM
500,000 Children at Risk: PEPFAR Funding Crisis
April 08 2025 3:51 PM
The Talk Season 5 premieres this spring with HIV guidance for the newly diagnosed
March 26 2025 1:00 PM
Jess King is here to help you live your happiest, healthiest life yet
March 24 2025 4:35 PM
Plus nominated for 2025 GLAAD Media Award
January 22 2025 12:42 PM
VIDEO: A man living with HIV discusses his journey to fatherhood
June 10 2025 4:58 PM
HRC holds 'die-in' to protest Trump health care cuts
April 28 2025 2:11 PM
Season 4 of The Switch on resilience & radical self-love returns this spring
March 26 2025 12:20 PM
Gerald Garth is keeping people of color happy and healthy through trying times
March 11 2025 3:38 PM
A camp for HIV-positive kids is for sale. Here's why its founder is celebrating
January 02 2025 12:21 PM
'RuPaul's Drag Race' star Trinity K Bonet quietly comes out trans
December 15 2024 6:27 PM