How effective is PEP?

When used correctly, PEP is an extremely effective emergency intervention to prevent HIV infection.

Its success relies mainly on two golden rules: speed and rigor.

Rule #1: Speed - Act as quickly as possible

This is the most critical factor. PEP must be started as soon as possible after the risk, and no later than 72 hours after. Do not wait. The faster you act, the greater the chances of success.

Rule #2: Rigor - Follow the 28-day treatment

PEP is not a single dose. It is a complete course of antiretroviral treatment that you must take every day, for 28 days without interruption. Missing doses seriously compromises the treatment's effectiveness.

The effectiveness of today's treatments

You may have heard the effectiveness figure of "over 80%." This statistic dates back to the 1990s and is based on a single medication (AZT), which was much less potent than current options.

Today, PEP uses combinations of modern medications. The medical consensus is clear: the effectiveness of modern PEP is much higher and approaches 99% when the treatment is started quickly and taken rigorously. Cases of failure are exceptionally rare.