PrEP & PEP

We provide PrEP & PEP services at Strut, located at 470 Castro Street, San Francisco. We welcome people of any gender identity and sexual orientation at our clinic with an emphasis on serving members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Make an appointment at 415-581-1600 or schedule one using the link below. We also have a limited number of same-day drop-in appointments available. If you’re not sure what type of appointment to make, give us a call.

Our services are provided at no cost to community members.

Make an Appointment

Possible exposure to HIV? Call us for PEP!

If you’ve been potentially exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, we offer full Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) services with a full month free.

If you think you need PEP, call us at 415-581-1600 before coming to see us so that we can be sure that we can see you. If we are unable to see you, we can refer you to another clinic for PEP. PEP should be taken as soon as possible and within 72 hours after the potential HIV exposure. Every hour counts. Do not wait – 
call us right away.

Get PrEP & Doxy PEP Delivered at Home

Fill out a 3-minute assessment, complete your at-home tests, and if appropriate, PrEP will be prescribed and sent to your home (in discreet packaging). The whole process can be done in just about a week.

Get PrEP

PrEP for HIV Prevention

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective way to prevent HIV using medication. Services include lab tests, dosage instructions, prescriptions, benefits navigation, and adherence support. There are a few different medications used for PrEP–including oral pills and injectable options.

About PrEP Visits

PrEP Enrollment visits

  • The visit may take up to two hours
  • Includes a comprehensive medical evaluation, including tests for HIV, other STIs, and a metabolic panel
  • You’ll meet with a benefits navigator to explore ways to pay for PrEP through patient assistance programs and insurance benefits
  • You’ll be provided with a prescription for a PrEP medication
  • You’ll receive a follow-up call three days after the enrollment visit

Please note: We are unable to prescribe PrEP for persons covered by Kaiser Permanente, TRICARE, or Veterans Health Administration benefits. If you are unable to get PrEP through your authorized provider, please contact us for additional resources and options.

Follow-up PrEP visits

Can be booked through our client portal or at the clinic. Follow-up PrEP care begins one month after the enrollment visit, then once every three months.

What to expect:

  • Self-swab for STIs
  • Blood sample

PrEP prescription refills

If you have run out of prescription refills from your pharmacist, call us at 415-581-1600.

Re-start PrEP care

Contact us to re-start PrEP. Call us at 415-581-1600.

About PEP

PEP is used in emergency situations in which a person may have been exposed to HIV in the previous 72 hours.

What are the ways I can be exposed to HIV?

  • Have you been sexually assaulted?
  • Did you have sex without a condom and without PrEP with someone who is not virally suppressed or whose HIV status you don’t know?
  • Did the condom break during sex?
  • Have you shared needles or works to prepare drugs (cookers, cotton, water) with someone?
  • Did you get stuck with a needle?

If any of these scenarios apply to you, call us or go to an emergency room right away. PEP works best if you take it within 72 hours of exposure to HIV.

How does PEP work?

  • PEP consists of 2 to 3 antiretroviral medications that are taken for 28 days.
  • PEP is safe but may cause side effects like nausea in some people. These side effects can be treated and are not life-threatening.
  • PEP is not 100% effective; it does not guarantee that someone exposed to HIV will not become infected with HIV.
  • After you start PEP, make sure you take your meds. PEP does not work if you do not take the medications.
  • Continue to use condoms with sex partners while taking PEP and do not use injection equipment that has been used by others. This will help avoid transmitting HIV to others if PEP does not work.
  • Return to your healthcare provider for more HIV testing about one month, three months, and six months after the potential exposure to HIV. Your healthcare provider will give you a follow-up schedule.

Can anyone get PEP?

PEP is for HIV-negative people who may have been exposed to HIV during a single event.

PEP is not a substitute for other effective HIV prevention methods, such as correct and consistent condom use, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) or use of sterile injection equipment.

 

For additional information including other services offered at our clinic, FAQs about HIV and STI testing, and more, visit the main Sexual Health Clinical Services page.