This is intended for US audiences only.

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Let's Talk
About PrEP

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It means taking prescription medicine routinely before exposure to HIV to help reduce the risk of getting HIV.

The PURPOSE studies are being done to see whether an investigational PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medicine, lenacapavir, helps reduce the chance of getting HIV through sex.

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What Is PrEP?

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PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, helps prevent people from getting HIV. It is for people who do not have HIV (are HIV-negative), but could get HIV.

Some factors that may increase the chance of getting HIV include:

  • Having sex with partners of unknown HIV status
  • Having sex with people who are living with HIV but not on HIV treatment and with an undetectable viral load
  • Having sex in a geographic area where HIV is common
  • Having sex while under the influence of substances or alcohol (which can increase risk indirectly by lowering people’s inhibitions and reducing use of safer sex practices)
  • Not using condoms consistently with partners of unknown status

Know the limits of PrEP

PrEP is the routine use of prescription medicine before exposure to HIV to prevent getting it. The most common way to get HIV is through sex or injection drug use.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PrEP is very effective when taken as prescribed. It can reduce the chance of getting HIV through sex by 99%. It also reduces getting HIV from injection drug use by at least 74%.

PrEP medication does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so consistent condom use is important.

What is a sexual network?

“Sexual network” is a term that describes how you and your sexual partner or partners are connected.

Your sexual network includes:

  • You
  • Any current partners
  • All past partners
  • All of your partner’s partners (and so on)
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Our Commitment to You

For 35 years, Gilead has been at the forefront of making medications that help communities affected by the HIV epidemic. We are committed to finding treatments for HIV—AND PrEP medications that can help stop people from getting HIV in the first place.

For us, caring about the community means caring about every single individual, not just those who have had access to medical care or clinical studies. It means locating our research sites in places that are most affected by the epidemic. It means staffing the locations with kind, knowledgeable people who represent the communities they serve. It means respecting each participant and their individual journey.

Meet the people who were an important part of setting up the PURPOSE studies

Global Community Advisors