What should I do if I forget to take a PrEP pill?

The right response depends on your dosing schedule. Here is a guide for each situation.

If you take daily PrEP (1 pill per day)

• A single, occasional missed dose:

  • Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, then resume your normal schedule. Never double the dose.
  • While a single missed dose only slightly reduces protection if you've been taking PrEP for more than 7 days, consistency is key to its effectiveness. If condomless penetrative sex occurred during this period, please contact us. We will take the time to analyze the situation with you to provide safe, personalized advice.

• Several consecutive missed doses:

  • Consider your protection to be reduced. Use additional protection (a condom) for the next 7 days of daily intake to re-establish full protection. If condomless penetrative sex occurred during this period, please contact us. We will take the time to analyze the situation with you to provide safe, personalized advice.

If you take on-demand PrEP (2-1-1 schedule)

This schedule requires strict adherence. Any deviation can compromise your protection.

• Forgetting the 2 pills BEFORE sex: You were not protected by PrEP.
• Forgetting a pill AFTER sex: The effectiveness of PrEP could be reduced.

What to do in case of a significant mistake?

If you think your protection was compromised and you had a risky sexual encounter, contact us immediately. We can assess the situation with you and discuss the relevance of PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), an emergency treatment.

Tips to avoid missed doses

• Set a phone alarm or use a pill organizer.
• If you frequently miss doses, talk to us. Injectable PrEP might be a better option for you.