WHO SHOULD USE PEP?
• Workplace exposure Since 1996, PEP has been the standard procedure for healthcare workers exposed to HIV, usually after they have been accidentally jabbed with a needle containing infected blood. PEP in these situations has been proven to reduce the rate of HIV infection by approximately 79%. • Sexual and other types of exposure There have been no formal recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to prescribe PEP if you engage in risky sexual behaviors, if a condom breaks during anal sex, or if you share needles for injecting drugs. However there has been research done on PEP used in these types of situations. In one study of PEP used in 400 cases of possible sexual exposure, no one became infected with HIV. It must be noted, though, that the majority of people with a suspected exposure to HIV would not develop an HIV infection whether or not they take PEP.
