PrEP Options That Fit Your Sex Life! - Prevent HIV With Daily PrEP and PrEP On-Demand (2-1-1)

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag

Provides practical guidance from the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health on two PrEP dosing options to prevent HIV: daily PrEP and PrEP On-Demand using the 2-1-1 schedule. Explains timing requirements before and after sex, which FDA-approved medications apply, and how effectiveness differs by type of exposure (including limitations for receptive vaginal/front hole sex). Covers side effects, missed-dose considerations, emergency alternatives like PEP, and eligibility criteria plus definitions of cisgender and transgender.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Overview of PrEP Options

Daily PrEP

PrEP On-Demand (2-1-1)

Effectiveness and Medication Options

What PrEP is Effective For

What to Use

When to Take It

PrEP On-Demand Dosing Schedule

Single Sexual Exposure

Multiple Sexual Exposures

Side Effects and Missed Doses

Eligibility: Who Can Use and Who Should Not

Cisgender MSM

People with Vaginal/Front Hole Sex

MSM/Trans Women Who Sex Regularly or Cannot Plan

Hepatitis B and Hormone Replacement Therapy

Key Terms

Cisgender and Transgender

PrEP Options That Fit Your Sex Life! Prevent HIV by taking Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Sexual Health Clinicsnow offers TWO ways to take PrEP to prevent HIV! 1. Daily PrEP: Take one pill once a day—even on days when you do not have sex of any kind (oral, anal, vaginal, etc. ) or inject drugs. To reach maximum levels of protection against HIV, you need to take daily PrEP for 7 days before anal sex and 21 days before vaginal/front hole sex. Truvada and Descovy are approved for daily PrEP. 2. * PrEP On-Demand (2-1-1): Think of PrEP On-Demand like “video on demand.” When you want to watch a video, you pull it up and watch. With PrEP On-Demand, when you want to have sex, you take PrEP at least 2 hours in advance and then have sex. For cisgender men or transgender women who have sex with men, taking PrEP before and after you have anal sex can help prevent HIV. Only Truvada should be used for PrEP On-Demand. *Note: Taking PrEP On-Demand is not suggested for everyone. It protects either partner during anal sex but may not prevent HIV during receptive vaginal/front hole sex. PrEP on demand has only been shown to work for CMSM. Effectiveness Daily PrEP PrEP On-Demand 99%1 86 – 99%4 | Effective for | Any type of sex
(anal, vaginal, or and/or oral) | Not for receptive vaginal/front hole sex | | --- | --- | --- | | What to use | Truvada2 or Descovy3 | Truvada2 only | | When to take it | Every day | Before and after you have sex | | Planning | Take it every day. Same time of day preferred. | You must take the first dose 2 – 24 hours before sex | | If you don’t take it before sex | PrEP is highly effective only when taken as directed and is best when combined with condom use. However, for cisgender men who have sex wwith men ( MSM) , it still provides some protection if occasional doses are missed; People who have vaginal/front hole sex should try not to miss any doses. | Use condoms or take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in an emergency.5 | | If you may miss a dose after sex | | You cannot miss a dose | | Side effects | Upset stomach | Upset stomach | | | Headache | Headache | | |
Fatigue |
Fatigue | 1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), [2022:](2022: www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html)[ ](2022: www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html)[www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html](2022: www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html). 2 Only Truvada is offered in the LACDPH Public Health Clinics. 3 Descovy is only approved for use among MSM and transgender women. 4 CDC, 2021 PrEP Guidelines: [https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/risk/prep/cdc-hiv-prep-guidelines-2021.pdf](https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/risk/prep/cdc-hiv-prep-guidelines-2021.pdf). 5 PEP is available in all LACDPH Public Health Clinics. For the nearest clinic, [www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/phcenters.htm](www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/phcenters.htm). For more information about PrEP, [GetPrEPLA.com](GetPrEPLA.com). County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Division of HIV and STD Programs [www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/dhsp](www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/dhsp)[ ](www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/dhsp)213-351-8000 The “2-1-1” Schedule for Taking PrEP On-Demand How to take PrEP On-Demand? If you have sex on one calendar day, take: 2 pills at least 2 to 24 hours before sex. 1 pill 24 hours after the first dose. 1 pill 24 hours after the second dose. | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | SEX @ 8:00 PM

Take no later than 6:00 pm. |

Take 24 hours after first dose. |

Take 24 hours after second dose. | | | If you are going to have multiple sexual exposures, continue to take a single PrEP pill every 24 hours until you have taken two additional doses, 24 hours apart, after your last sexual exposure. (See example below.) | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Th

FAQs

What are the two ways to take PrEP offered by LACDPH clinics?

LACDPH clinics offer Daily PrEP (one pill once a day) and PrEP On-Demand using the 2-1-1 schedule (two pills before sex, then one pill 24 hours later twice).

When should Daily PrEP be started before vaginal/front hole or anal sex?

For maximum protection, take Daily PrEP for 7 days before anal sex and for 21 days before vaginal/front hole sex.

Who should not use PrEP On-Demand (2-1-1)?

PrEP On-Demand is not suggested for people who have vaginal or front hole sex, and it is not recommended for those who have sex regularly and/or cannot plan sex in advance. It is also cautioned for MSM with active Hepatitis B and transgender women on hormone replacement therapy.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag