PrEP Specialist

South Florida Care Center

Infectious Disease Specialists & Primary Care Practice located in Pompano Beach, FL & Fort Lauderdale, FL

About 1.2 million people in the United States have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and about 13% of them don’t know it. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that prevents HIV infection in people at risk of getting HIV. At South Florida Care Center in Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the team of infectious disease specialists, including Thierre Alphonse, APRN, and Lazaro Salgado, APRN, offer PrEP. To learn more about PrEP, call the office nearest you, or schedule an appointment online today.

PrEP Q&A

What is pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)?

PrEP is a medication that reduces your chances of getting HIV. PrEP is a combination of anti-HIV drugs given in one pill. These medications block enzymes the virus needs to multiply in your body.

Truvada® is a brand of PrEP.

PrEP isn’t the same as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP is a short-term treatment people take within 72 hours after exposure to HIV. PrEP is a long-term treatment for people at risk of HIV exposure in the future.

Am I a candidate for PrEP?

The infectious disease specialists at South Florida Care Center determine if you’re a candidate for PrEP after a consultation. PrEP isn’t right for everyone. It’s for people who don’t have HIV, but are at risk of getting HIV.

The team recommends you schedule an appointment at South Florida Care Center to discuss PrEP if you:

Don’t regularly use condoms during sex
Have a sexual partner with HIV
Have a sexual partner who’s at risk of getting HIV
Have anal or vaginal sex with many partners
Recently had a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Do sex work
Inject drugs or share needles

If you’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding and at high risk of HIV, PrEP may help you and your baby avoid getting HIV.

The South Florida Care Center team works closely with you to help you determine if PrEP is right for you. They provide compassionate and confidential care in a safe and nonjudgmental environment.

If the team considers you a candidate for PrEP, they perform HIV, hepatitis B and C, and STD testing. For patients with HIV, South Florida Care Center offers HIV/AIDS treatment.

What happens during PrEP treatment?

PrEP is a prescription medication you take daily. Once you start treatment, the team at South Florida Care Center has you return to the office every three months for an HIV test.

The team may also test for other STDs, assess kidney function, and perform a pregnancy test when appropriate.

If you test positive for HIV, you must stop taking PrEP right away. Taking PrEP with HIV makes the virus harder to treat.

Is PrEP effective?

When used as directed, PrEP reduces your chances of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%, and by 70% for people who share needles.

However, PrEP can’t protect you from other STDs.

To see if you’re a candidate for PrEP, call South Florida Care Center or schedule an appointment online today.

What we offer