HIV prevention pills are orally administered antiretroviral medications taken by HIV-negative individuals to lower the risk of acquiring the virus, the strategy known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The most widely used regimens combine nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, typically tenofo…
HIV prevention pills are orally administered antiretroviral medications taken by HIV-negative individuals to lower the risk of acquiring the virus, the strategy known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The most widely used regimens combine nucleoside and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, typically tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with emtricitabine, which establish protective drug concentrations in mucosal tissue so that any exposure to HIV is met with an environment hostile to viral replication. Efficacy is strongly dependent on adherence, since protection falls as missed doses allow drug levels to decline, making consistent daily intake the principal determinant of real-world effectiveness. Prophylaxis is targeted to people at substantial ongoing risk and is delivered alongside HIV testing, counselling, and screening for other sexually transmitted infections. The same adherence challenge that governs treatment in resource-limited settings applies to prevention, where measurement of adherence, psychosocial barriers, and the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers shape uptake and continuation. Prevention pills are one component of combination prevention, complementing condoms, risk-reduction counselling, and treatment-as-prevention. Research in this field addresses adherence measurement, provider awareness and willingness to prescribe, the behavioral and structural factors influencing persistence, and the integration of prophylaxis into broader HIV and AIDS care programs.
5 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 5 articles above have been cited 28 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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