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Post-Exposure Prophylaxis after sexual exposure

更新日:11/29/2022

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What is PEP?

PEP stands for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. It is an emergency medicine that may protect you from becoming infected with HIV by starting antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) within 72 hours after being potentially exposed to HIV. If you are prescribed PEP, you will need to take it once or twice daily for 28 days.

Who should take PEP?

PEP should be started within 72 hours after a recent possible exposure to HIV, such as an unprotected sex with someone who has or might have HIV. PEP must not be used if your sexual partner is HIV negative or if you are already infected with HIV.

  • Although ARVs are approved for the treatment of HIV infection in Japan, PEP after sexual exposure to HIV is not the approved type of usage of ARVs.

How much does PEP cost?

The Japanese health insurance does not cover the cost associated with PEP and you will pay 100% of the followings:

Initial consultation fee: 20,000 yen
PEP medication fee: 10,000 yen/day (280,000 yen for 28 days)

  • If seen outside of service hours, 10,000 yen will be charged in addition to the fees listed above.
  • Additional sales tax will be charged.
  • The above expense includes fees for any examinations performed (e.g. hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and tests for monitoring side effects) during the 4 weeks of PEP but does not include any cost after PEP.
  • You can use a credit card for payment.

How to receive PEP

Service hours: 8:30am-2pm Weekdays; ACC Outpatient Clinic

  • At your initial visit, please tell at the reception counter that you wish HIV preventive medicine.
  • If you need to start PEP urgently outside of our service hours, an ER doctor might give you PEP medicines only for one or several days. Then you need to come back to ACC at earliest time during service hours for necessary assessments. Before coming to the ER, please be reminded the above fee plus tax will be charged and that PEP is only for those exposed within 72 hours. No telephone counselling for PEP is available outside of our service hours.

Flow of the PEP consultation

  1. Consultation with a doctor
    A doctor will assess your risk of HIV acquisition and whether or not you should take PEP.
  2. Blood tests
    We will conduct blood tests to confirm that you are HIV-negative and assess whether or not you can safely start PEP.
  3. Informed consent
    A doctor will explain how to take the medications, the potential side effects, and how to manage side effects. Then, we will confirm your consent for PEP after you sign on the informed consent form.
  4. Administration of PEP
    During initial consultation, we will give you ARV for the first 14 days. If your initial consultation occurs outside of service hours, prescription is limited for the first 1-3 days and you will be asked to come back during service hours of the following weekday.
  5. Follow up visits
    We will schedule your follow-up visit 14 days after starting PEP. After we confirm that your blood test results are normal, we will give you ARVs for another 14 days.
  6. HIV testing
    We recommend HIV testing at 1 month, and 3-4 months after the exposure during the follow up. Tests for HBV and HCV might be recommended if high-risk exposure. Fees for these tests will be charged separately from the first payment on an on-demand basis.

Side Effects

ARVs for PEP may cause mild side effects such as nausea. These side effects can be treated and are not life threatening. Please ask your health care provider if you want more information about potential side effects.

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