Learn more here, and call or text 917-580-1682 to access PrEP/PEP, HIV/STI testing and treatment, and other health services.
What is the difference between PrEP and PEP?
PrEP stands for Pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is an HIV prevention method for people who are HIV negative, but are at risk for contracting the HIV virus. PrEP is a daily combination of two HIV medicines sold under the name Truvada. Taking PrEP daily reduces the risk of contracting HIV from sex by more than 90% […]
What options are there for paying for PrEP and PEP?
PrEP medicine is covered by many health insurance plans and can only be prescribed by a health care provider. Additionally, there are commercial medical assistance programs that are run by medication manufactures that can provide free PrEP to people with limited income or no insurance coverage. For example, the Truvada for PrEP medication program assists […]
What do viral load and CD4 count mean?
A viral load is the amount of HIV virus in a sample of blood. Laboratories report viral loads as the number of HIV RNA copies per milliliter of blood. HIV attacks the immune system’s infection fighting cells known as CD4. You can tell HIV progression through the CD4 count and viral load blood testing. The […]
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. The abbreviation “HIV” can refer to the virus or to the infection. Unlike some viral infections, the human body cannot fully clear the HIV virus. The HIV virus reduces the number of CD4 cells in the body. These cells are the infection-fighting cells that the human body produces. If left […]