Pre-exposure Prophylaxis - Unstarred Question No. 4072 - 04 January 2019

Sep 27, 2026

Unstarred Question No. 4072 to the Government of India seeks details on whether studies exist on using Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce HIV/AIDS cases, plans to subsidize and popularize PrEP, and whether PrEP will be introduced as part of the national preventive strategy. The answer states an expert group has been constituted to assess PrEP inclusion. It clarifies current post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) availability criteria, provides a total count of 1646 hospitals with PEP availability, and explains that PEP drugs are schedule “H” and require a prescription.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

PrEP study, subsidy and inclusion

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) availability and access

PEP hospital count and availability list (Annexure)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4072 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04TH JANUARY, 2019 PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS 4072. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY: Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has undertaken any study to understand the extent to which the use of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine could be used to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS patients in India and if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government has any plan to subsidize and popularize PrEP medicine in India, if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons therefor; (c) whether the Government plans to introduce PrEP as part of its preventive strategy in combating HIV/AIDS and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (d) whether it is true that Postexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is not readily available for common patients who have been exposed to HIV/AIDS and if so, the reasons therefor; (e) the number of hospitals where PrEP is readily available State/UT-wise and steps taken to increase its availability and knowledge; and (f) whether the Government plans to introduce PrEP in retail pharmacies without necessitating prescription, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL) (a) : No. (b) & (c) : An Expert group has been constituted under the National AIDS Control Organisation to assess and consider all aspects of inclusion of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis under National AIDS Control Programme. (d) : As per current guidelines, Post exposure Prophylaxis is available for healthcare workers with occupational exposure to HIV/AIDS and to victims of sexual assault. Extant guidelines do not permit for provision of Post exposure Prophylaxis for people with exposure to HIV/AIDS other than above criteria. (e) : The total number of hospitals where Post exposure Prophylaxis is readily available is 1646. The State/UT-wise list is at Annexure. The Programme ensures regular supplies of Post exposure Prophylaxis drugs to all states and includes session on it during trainings of Health workers. (f) : No, the drugs used for Post exposure Prophylaxis are schedule “H” drugs and are not recommended to be provided without prescription of registered medical practitioners. Annexure | S. N. | State/ UT | Hospital in States/UT with PEP availability | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 3 | | 2 | Andhra Pradesh | 154 | | 3 | Arunachal Pradesh | 5 | | 4 | Assam | 18 | | 5 | Bihar | 31 | | 6 | Chandigarh | 7 | | 7 | Chhattisgarh | 13 | | 8 | Delhi | 11 | | 9 | Goa | 6 | | 10 | Gujarat | 95 | | 11 | Haryana | 15 | | 12 | Himachal Pradesh | 11 | | 13 | Jammu & Kashmir | 6 | | 14 | Jharkhand | 14 | | 15 | Karnataka | 260 | | 16 | Kerala | 23 | | 17 | Madhya Pradesh | 50 | | 18 | Maharashtra | 264 | | 19 | Manipur | 24 | | 20 | Meghalaya | 5 | | 21 | Mizoram | 11 | | 22 | Mumbai | 17 | | 23 | Nagaland | 14 | | 24 | Odisha | 34 | | 25 | Puducherry | 2 | | 26 | Punjab | 15 | | 27 | Rajasthan | 63 | | 28 | Sikkim | 2 | | 29 | Tamil Nadu | 225 | | 30 | Telangana | 86 | | 31 | Tripura | 6 | | 32 | Uttar Pradesh | 66 | | 33 | Uttarakhand | 18 | | 34 | West Bengal | 72 | | | India | 1646 |

FAQs

Has the Government undertaken any study on using PrEP to reduce HIV/AIDS cases in India?

No direct study details are provided in the response. An expert group has been constituted under the National AIDS Control Organisation to assess and consider all aspects of inclusion of PrEP under the National AIDS Control Programme.

Are there plans to subsidize and popularize PrEP in India?

The response indicates that an expert group has been constituted to assess aspects of inclusion of PrEP under the National AIDS Control Programme, but it does not confirm a subsidy/popularization plan in the answer provided.

How is post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) availability handled, and are PEP drugs available in retail pharmacies without prescription?

PEP is available, as per current guidelines, for healthcare workers with occupational exposure and for victims of sexual assault. The response states that schedule “H” drugs used for PEP are not recommended to be provided without prescription of registered medical practitioners.

Sep 27, 2026

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