3 ms·

Are they testing for all STDs or only for HIV? Also, the person taking PrEP is (potentially) only half of the equation. How often do people who test positive in

• zwkrt 6y ago
  The normal procedure here in Seattle anyway is to get a blood panel, rapid HIV test, mouth-, and anal-swab every three months as a requirement for being prescribed PReP. They check for syphilis, gonhorrea, HIV, chlamydia, and other blood-related issues That could be caused by the drug itself. Most people I know engaging in especially frequent encounters get tested monthly. There are multiple free health clinics in the city so it isn’t just a game for the rich either.
  • tomjen3 6y ago
    That seems like a crazy amount of effort just to have sex with strangers a little safer. I wonder if it backfires and people skip it and just take the risk. Especially now that HIV isn't a dead sentence.
    • neartheplain 6y ago
      >now that HIV isn't a death sentence So long as the supply chains keep running, insurance keeps paying for the drugs (which can cost thousands of USD per month over the course of a patient's entire life), the drugs reach the patient, and the patient takes all their drugs on schedule. If at all possible, I'd rather avoid a life-or-death dependence on global supply chains, pharmaceutical factories, and insurance agents most of all. People die every year for lack of insulin, and that drug is much cheaper, more well-understood biologically, and more widely available than HIV medications.
    • cdcarter 6y ago
      It's a ten minute visit, once a quarter. Usually, it's _just_ labwork, so you don't even have to worry about your providers schedule.
    • zwkrt 6y ago
      It isn’t about sex with strangers. It’s about any sex with anyone who isn’t /exclusively/ and /indefinitely/ having sex with only me.