Definition: The method of taking one or more types of HIV medication prior to having sex in order to limit the risk of transmission of HIV. Although there is some suggestion that this might work from studies involving monkeys, to date there is no solid evidence that pre-exposure prophylaxis is effective at preventing HIV in humans, and therefore it should not be seen as a substitute for condoms. Research, however, is ongoing.
Sources:
Okwundu CI, Okoromah CA. (2009) "Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for preventing HIV in high-risk individuals." Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(1):CD007189.
