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Sexual Health

HIV Prevention

Foria takes a holistic approach to your health. Gender-affirming care is more than hormones – it includes your sexual health too.

What is PrEP?

PrEP is a medication that prevents HIV. When taken as prescribed, it reduces your risk of getting HIV through sex by 99%+.

Your HIV risk will vary depending on the body parts you have and the kind of sex you're having. You might be a good fit for PrEP if:

  • You were assigned male at birth (AMAB) and have sex with AMAB people

  • Your partners were AMAB and they have sex with AMAB people

  • You do in-person sex work

  • You are worried about or have anxiety regarding HIV

You might also be a good fit for PrEP if you share equipment to inject drugs. PrEP reduces HIV in these situations, but it's unclear by how much.

Learn more about PrEP from our sibling service, Freddie:

Resource: PrEP Explained

New & existing patients

PrEP consults

Foria can include PrEP in your gender-affirming care appointments at no extra cost. For most people, the medication will also be free.

Initial consultation

You and your clinician will talk about your sex life and current HIV risk as part of your gender-affirming care appointment.

If you both decide that PrEP is right for you, you'll do some lab tests alongside your tests for hormone therapy. Once we've got your results, we can prescribe PrEP at a follow-up appointment.

What's included

  • HIV risk assessment

  • Lab work

  • PrEP prescription (at follow-up)

Free*

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PrEP FAQ

For additional information and a complete list of questions & answers regarding PrEP, please visit our sibling clinic Freddie.

What is HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system and lowers its defence against illness and disease. It can be transmitted through sex or sharing equipment to inject drugs.

To learn more about HIV, check out "HIV explained" from Freddie.

Is it safe to take PrEP with hormones?

Yes, it is safe to take PrEP with hormone therapy. There are no interactions between PrEP and testosterone, estrogen or androgen blockers.

Does PrEP protect against STIs?

No, PrEP only protects against HIV. To protect against STIs, use other tools like condoms or dental dams.

Does PrEP have side effects?

Some of the possible short-term side effects associated with PrEP include nausea, headaches, diarrhea, and vomiting. These affect between 1 and 10% of people, are generally mild and clear up within a week or two.

In a small number of people, PrEP can affect kidney function. This is temporary (it recovers after stopping PrEP), and it can also be improved by switching types of PrEP.

To learn more about side effects, check out "PrEP side effects & interactions" from Freddie.

How much does PrEP cost?

PrEP is covered by most provincial drug plans. 90% of people who use Foria's partner pharmacy, Affirming Care, get their PrEP for free. This is because Affirming Care can connect you with provincial drug plans, and their financial assistance programs will often cover any remaining co-pay.

To learn more about PrEP costs in your province, check out "How much does PrEP cost?" from Freddie.