Prevent HIV
with PrEP
PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication that prevents the person taking it from getting HIV through sex or injection drug use. When a person who is HIV-negative takes PrEP as prescribed, it is 99% effective at preventing HIV through sex and 74% effective at preventing HIV through injection drug use.
PrEP FAQ
What is PrEP?
PrEP is a medication used to prevent HIV. The FDA has approved two oral PrEP options: Truvada® and Descovy®, with a generic version of Truvada® called Tenofovir/Emtricitabine (TDF/FTC). Additionally, there are two injectable PrEP options: Apretude® (given every two months) and Yeztugo® (given every six months). Talk to a healthcare provider to learn which options are right for you.
Get PrEP help
A PrEP navigator or your local public health authority can help you decide if PrEP is right for you. If it is, they can help you learn how to get it and stay on it. There are PrEP navigators and partners throughout Oregon:
- Portland metropolitan area: Cascade AIDS Project
- Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, and the Oregon Coast: HIV Alliance
- Eastern Oregon: Eastern Oregon Center for Independent Living
Who should take PrEP?
PrEP may be a good option for you if you consistently have sex without using condoms or share needles with people whose HIV status (or viral suppression status) you don’t know. Talk with your health care provider or a PrEP navigator to see if PrEP is right for you.
Is PrEP covered by insurance?
Yes. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gives PrEP its strongest rating recommendation, a Grade A. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most private health plans and all Medicaid-expansion programs must cover all USPSTF Grade A recommended services free-of-charge, without co-pays or cost-sharing to insured persons. The most recent USPSTF recommendation, issued in August 2023, includes daily oral PrEP and injectable cabotegravir (Apretude®). Yeztugo® was FDA approved in June 2025 and is not currently included in the USPSTF recommendation.
Get help paying for PrEP
The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) covers PrEP and all services related to PrEP at no cost for people who are eligible. Healthier Oregon, a program created by an Oregon law passed in November 2021, expands health coverage through OHP to adults who are eligible except for their documentation status. Specific groups of individuals will qualify to receive full OHP benefits, including PrEP, under this law. You can apply for OHP online or talk with an outreach worker to learn more.