Welcome To Your Guide For PrEP, PEP, & HIV Prevention

Hey Guys & Gals, just wanted to share this great new educational campaign created in collaboration between The Institute Of Many and Dynamix International.

Reinforcing the message that U = U

When HIV is Undetectable, then it’s Untransmittable. Zero risk, and that’s a fact.

While the evidence has been out for a long time we know that successful treatment with HIV medications not only has huge health benefits for the person living with HIV, we also know that it makes HIV impossible to be passed on.

In this video I wanted to explain the best way to take PrEP when travelling, in particular when you are crossing time zones.

As noted in previous videos, Truvada for PrEP is a robust treatment and occasional changes in time of dosing will not have a major impact on it’s protection against HIV.

I recommend all people continue to take the medication at the same time they would normally take the  medication.

In this video I just wanted to share how to quickly check for any interactions between PrEP and prescription medications you may be taking.

While Truvada (Tenofovir & Emtricitabine) are a well tolerated medication there are a few drugs that can interact. In particular, medications that can affect the kidneys are always worth checking with your doctor.

The site I recommend to check for drug interactions is the University of Liverpools site:

Hey, guys. It's Dr. George here. I've just been part of a thread on Facebook where we were talking about the storage of Truvada, the drug that's used for HIV treatment, but also for HIV prevention. I just wanted to share some tips when it comes to the best way to store your medications.

Now the manufacturers, Gilead, have recommended that the drug be stored in a temperature-controlled environment, preferably around about 25 degrees centigrade, or between 15 degrees centigrade and 30 degrees centigrade. The reason for that is that the extremes of temperature could lead to degradation of the drug within the tablet and they're not able to guarantee its safety. It's best don't store it in the car, don't store it in the fridge. You can leave it on the table. Assuming that your room is of those temperatures, then it should be all okay.

Just wanted to say a special thanks to Mu Delta for kindly agreeing to share his experience of PrEP not only from a user perspective but also for someone in Europe. PrEP is now starting to increase in use in Belgium.

If you would like to learn more about PrEP be sure to enjoy the other videos of this website.

How Does PrEP Prevent HIV Infection?

PrEP is a combination of two drugs: Tenofivir and Emtricitabine.

HIV is a virus that is make from a single strand of RNA, the ‘blueprint’ of DNA. To make copies of itself it must first be transformed into DNA where it can then incorporate into the cell’s DNA. From this point it is able to make millions of copies of itself hijacking the cell’s mechanics.

I am fascinated at the response, or even that a response was required, by the editor of Attitude Magazine’s article on having a 3 month trial of PrEP.

What concerns me is the almost puritanical responses of people that reinforce slut shaming, “sex is bad” messaging infused with blaming of men choosing to control their own HIV status through medical means.

PrEP has been recently discussed in The Age newspaper after someone taking PrEP seroconverted to HIV positive in Melbourne Australia. Seroconversion is when a person acquires HIV, going from HIV seronegative to HIV seropositive.

Hundreds of thousands of people use PrEP worldwide, but there have only been two confirmed cases of infection with a drug-resistant strain of the virus by someone taking the medication properly. A third case was reported in Amsterdam this year, and is still under investigation.

Is generic PrEP safe?

Short answer: yes. When I first started prescribing PrEP, I’ll admit I wondered whether the generic versions were as good as the original brand. Here’s what I can tell you now.

Generic PrEP is made under licence from Gilead, the company behind the original brand, Truvada. That licensing comes with stringent testing to make sure the generic delivers the same active ingredients (tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine), in the same amounts, working the same way. It’s held to the same standard as the original.

Don’t Take PrEP With Psyllium (Metamucil™)

One important thing that I would like to note is the combination of Metamucil™ or psyllium husks and PrEP medication. When you take cilium husks, it’s designed as a way of helping keep bowel movements regular. It’s normally a teaspoon that’s mixed into a glass of water. It creates a gel-like substance inside the gut that helps absorb water and make your poo nice and soft.