HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Online Course at Coursera Review. Day 21 of 42.

Hello! Today at the end of the third week of the PrEParing online course on pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV we will answer the questions of the last week and offer you a new bunch of questions for this week's lessons.

Answers on Week 2 Questions

The woman had sexual intercourse with a guy without a condom. The next day she found out that he had HIV. What should she do?

This young lady should find the nearest HIV Care medical clinic. It is easy to locate HIV Care setting near you in the Life4me+ mobile app. While visiting a doctor, it is necessary to inform that a risky behavior has occurred recently and the doctor about nPEP, post-exposure HIV prophylaxis. When prescribed, this young lady should take pills without interruption for 28 days. If everything was done on time and correctly, the risks of becoming HIV-positive will be greatly reduced. It is worth noting that starting nPEP should be in the first 72 hours after a risky contact.

What are new forms of drugs for PrEP being developed in the world?

Injections of drugs with a prolonged action are being developed that will allow visiting the doctor for a single injection only once a month, three months or even six months. Vaginal rings with PrEP that create a barrier against HIV for 30 days are also being developed. There are also solutions for the anal douche are investigated as well as implantable devices with PrEP and self-dissolving films.

How much should I wait after starting the course of PrEP to engage in anal sex?

You should take your PrEP pills for eight days before any anal sexual activity.

How much should I wait after starting the course of PrEP to engage in vaginal sex?

You should take your PrEP pills for 21 days before any vaginal sexual activity.

How long does it take to wait after installing the vaginal ring with PrEP for safe sex?

The solid barrier against HIV is being created right in eight hours after installation of a vaginal ring with PrEP. Compare it with tablets for PrEP where a woman needs to wait for 21 days before any vaginal sexual intercourse.

Does PrEP safe for the body?

PrEP means a daily intake of pills, which have some degree of toxicity. As for described side effects, there could be issues with liver, kidneys, and bone mineral density, increasing the risk of fractures. But PrEP is delivered mainly to a young audience, where the risk of such effects is reduced. There are few studies of new drugs. Researchers want to decrease PrEP toxicity. Individual methods of prevention for different categories of people will soon be offered. For example, vaginal rings with PrEP create a barrier only in the vagina, the female's internal organs are not exposed to toxic effects of drugs. For detailed advice, contact your doctor or PrEP counselor.

In which case, a person will be offered to switch to PrEP after a course of nPEP finished?

If this person is exposed to substantial risk of HIV transmission, PrEP could be offered. For example, if a person often changes sex partners or lives with an HIV-positive partner. Sex workers also recommended starting PrEP.

Questions for the Third week

• Who are transgenders?
• Is it true that transgender women have a larger risk of getting HIV?
• In which cases is it recommended to prescribe PrEP to adolescent?
• Why adolescents need to know about PrEP?
• How PrEP could help to commercial sex workers?
• How often do commercial sex workers are exposed to threats of violence?
• Why physical and psychological abuse is associated with an increased HIV transmission risk?
• Is it true that PrEP prescribed asymmetrically more often to men and women are lack of adequate PrEP prescribing?
• When HIV-positive partner in a serodiscordant couple is recommended to start a PrEP?
• How many gay men in your country are aware of PrEP?
• In which cases injection drug users are recommended to start PrEP?

Try to answer these questions yourself. We will publish our opinion on these questions on the 28th day of this review, so stay tuned!

Tomorrow we are waiting for the first day of the fourth module. If you have not already signed up for the PrEParing course on the Coursera platform, it’s never too late to do it, just go to https://www.coursera.org/learn/prep.

Stay with us and stay healthy!