| Names | Type | How often? | Available on the NHS? | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenofovir disoproxil / emtricitabine, TDF/FTC, Truvada | Oral tablet | Daily or around the time of sex | Yes | -Cheap -Doctors have more experience with it than any other type of PrEP, in a wider range of circumstances -Many people find tablets easy to take -Also provides treatment for hepatitis B |
-Needs to be taken daily / consistently, which is hard for some -Not suitable for some people with kidney or bone issues -Stopping oral PrEP needs to be handled carefully by people who also have hepatitis B |
| Tenofovir alafenamide / emtricitabine, TAF/FTC, Descovy | Oral tablet | Daily or around the time of sex | Yes (if clinical need) | -Many people find tablets easy to take -Also provides treatment for hepatitis B |
-Expensive for the NHS (who cannot yet supply generic versions of TAF/TFC) -Needs to be taken daily / consistently, which is hard for some -Stopping oral PrEP needs to be handled carefully by people who also have hepatitis B |
| Cabotegravir, CAB-LA, Apretude | Intramuscular injection | Every two months | In Scotland only, but could be available soon | -One shot provides protection for two months -Don’t need to think about HIV prevention between injections -Discreet -Very high efficacy in studies -No need for kidney tests |
-Expensive -Need to go to a clinic every two months -Some people don’t like injections - Takes 7 days to start protecting against HIV -Stopping injectable PrEP needs to be handled carefully (‘long tail’) |
| Lenacapavir, LEN | Subcutaneous injection | Every six months | No | -One shot provides protection for six months -Don’t need to think about HIV prevention between injections -Discreet -Very high efficacy in studies -No need for kidney tests |
-Expensive - Need to go to clinic every six months -Some people don’t like injections -Several potential drug interactions -Stopping injectable PrEP needs to be handled carefully (‘long tail’) |
| Dapivirine ring, PrEP ring | Vaginal ring | Every month | No | -Ring only needs to be changed once a month -Woman-controlled method -Relatively discrete -Few side effects -Drug is only distributed locally, not throughout the body -No need for kidney tests |
-Appears to be less effective than other types of PrEP -Does not provide protection during anal sex - Has only been tested in cisgender women |