GCN
389
In this edition
From The Team
Welcome, dear reader, to our January issue of GCN, the very first of a new decade. Taking as our theme the idea of ‘Travel’, we look at all that word encompasses.
NXF: Ambitious For Change As A New Decade Dawns
The long awaited National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was finally published in the closing weeks of 2019.
Culture Stripping
Dublin’s culture is quietly being stripped away, or at least that’s how many are feeling with recent venue closures
Travelling with HIV
Living with HIV shouldn’t stop you from living the life you want, and that includes travelling.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Now Available Through The HSE
From November 4, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available free of charge through the HSE to those who are at substantial risk of contracting HIV through sex.
PUT ON YOUR RED SHOES
Fans of the Starman rejoice – the Dublin Bowie Festival is about to land. Falling to earth January 8, the space oddity himself will be celebrated with a feast of events. Here are just some of the highlights
Culture Club with Conor Behan
The end of the year always results in Best Of lists and countdowns. Depending on your perspective, it’s either a chance to catch up on what you missed from the previous 12 months or to eye-roll at pompous critics trying to outdo each other
Reeling in the Years: 2019
It’s been a memorable year for Ireland’s LGBT+ community. Here are just some of the highlights that took place across the country over the past 365 days
Rainbow Travel
While Disneyland proved to be the happiest place on earth, a simple trip abroad turned out to be anything but for Ranae von Meding. As well as telling all about her holiday to Orlando with her wife and daughters, she shares the reality of travel for families led by same-sex parents.
Stranger in your own land
While Poland remains more socially conservative than many countries in Western Europe, attitudes to LGBT+ issues are changing. Will St Leger speaks to activists standing strong in the face of oppression
Enter the Dragon
With a stage positioned 12 feet above the bar, and nothing but flimsy scaffolding to prevent performers from toppling onto the crowd below, mishaps were plentiful, and oſten expected. So how is it that The Dragon, a place so haphazard in design and atmosphere, is remembered so fondly by its former patrons? David Monaghan revisits a queer nightlife landmark
Safe House
From trans and non-binary folk forced into situations that may compromise their welfare, to an older generation at risk of isolation, to queer creatives unable to focus on making and doing, the effects of the housing crisis are diverse and unique in their manifestation. Here, Stephen Moloney speaks with a handful of members of the LGBT+ community to gain some insight into the lived experience of a broken system
Not Done Yet
It has been a remarkable few years for women in Ireland. Shubhangi Karmakar details a personal journey into activism and talks to other activists fighting the good fight.
A Year of Transformation
Pádraig Rice and Michael O’Donnell of the Gay Project in Cork fill us in on their amazing year supporting the community.
Get In Early!
As their successful Winter Pride draws to a close, Dublin Pride have announced that registrations for next year’s Dublin Pride Parade are now open.
New Year New You
Start 2020 by making new friends and blowing the cobwebs off with Wet and Wild’s annual January Hike!
PROTEST
Experiencing the genius of Derek Jarman at an exhibition in IMMA, Tonie Walsh gives us the background on, and the impact of, an unmatchable artist.
Back to Homepage
Home Latest Edition Archive

COPIED
  Print   Share
COPIED
3 mins

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Now Available Through The HSE

From November 4, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available free of charge through the HSE to those who are at substantial risk of contracting HIV through sex.

by Caroline Hurley, HSE Sexual Health & Crisis Pregnancy Programme

WHAT IS PrEP?

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is taken by HIV negative people before having sex (pre-exposure) and after sex to prevent HIV (this is called prophylaxis). If you decide to use PrEP, it’s important that you do so with support from a healthcare provider and that you understand how to take PrEP correctly.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEP AND PrEP?

PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is the use of treatment after exposure to HIV, to reduce the risk of HIV infection. PEP must be started within 72 hours after a possible exposure to HIV, and the sooner you take it, the better. PEP is only available following an assessment by a healthcare professional.

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is the use of HIV treatment before exposure to HIV to prevent HIV infection. For PrEP to be most effective, the medicine needs to be at protective levels at the time you may be exposed to HIV, which means PrEP needs to be taken both before sex and for several days afterwards. PrEP can be taken every day (daily PrEP) or taken around the time of sex (event-based). Your healthcare provider will help you decide what is best for you. PrEP has been shown in many studies to be 99 percent effective in preventing HIV.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR FREE PrEP?

PrEP is available through the HSE free of charge to those who are considered to be at substantial risk of contracting HIV through sex and meet the eligibility criteria.

To avail of free PrEP through the HSE you need to:

• Test negative for HIV

• Be able to attend a check-up at least every three months.

YOU ALSO NEED TO MEET AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• You are having sex without condoms with HIV-positive partners who are not on HIV treatment, OR are on treatment but not virally suppressed.

• You are a man who has sex with men (includes transgender MSM) or a transgender woman who has sex with men, who meets any one of the following: Had anal sex without condoms with more than one partner in the last six months, had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or used HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in the last year, used recreational drugs for sex in the last six months.

WHERE CAN I GET PrEP?

The list of approved providers is available on www.sexualwellbeing.ie/getprep.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET PrEP?

Attend an approved PrEP service for a clinical assessment. If you are eligible, you will be provided a prescription and can collect the medication through a community pharmacy free of charge. You will need a medical card or drug payment scheme (DPS) card to access free PrEP through the HSE.

WHAT IF I’M NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FREE PrEP?

You can decide to pay for PrEP yourself through community pharmacies with a prescription. The doctor in the STI clinic or your GP can give you a prescription.

BEFORE STARTING PrEP

There are a number of tests you need to have. These include testing for HIV, hepatitis B and other STIs. You will also have a blood test to check your kidney function.

If it’s your first time taking PrEP, you may be offered an appointment after one month. Once you’ve started, you’ll need to go for a check-up every 3 months. This is to test for HIV and STIs, and to check your kidney function.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I TAKE PrEP INCORRECTLY?

For PrEP to be most effective, the medicine needs to be at protective levels at the time that HIV exposure may happen. This means PrEP needs to be taken both before sex and for several days afterwards. If you take PrEP incorrectly, you may not have the protective level of drug in your system. Discuss this with your healthcare provider.

WHAT IF I MISS DOSES?

This depends on what type of sex you’re having and if you’re taking PrEP every day or taking event-based PrEP. If you miss doses and have had condomless sex, you may need PEP and should discuss with your healthcare provider immediately.

Brought to you by the HSE.

For further information on PrEP, PEP and how to access them, visit www.sexualwellbeing.ie/prep or man2man.ie/prevention/pep.

Enter the Dragon
With a stage positioned 12 feet above the bar, and nothing but flimsy scaffolding to prevent performers from toppling onto the crowd below, mishaps were plentiful, and oſten expected. So how is it that The Dragon, a place so haphazard in design and atmosphere, is remembered so fondly by its former patrons? David Monaghan revisits a queer nightlife landmark
< Go to Previous Article
PROTEST
Experiencing the genius of Derek Jarman at an exhibition in IMMA, Tonie Walsh gives us the background on, and the impact of, an unmatchable artist.
Go to Next Article >
PROTEST
Experiencing the genius of Derek Jarman at an exhibition in IMMA, Tonie Walsh gives us the background on, and the impact of, an unmatchable artist.
Go to Next Article >
This article appears in 361

Go to Page View
This article appears in...
361
Go to Page View
From The Team
Welcome, dear reader, to our January issue of GCN, the very first of a new decade. Taking as our theme the idea of ‘Travel’, we look at all that word encompasses.
NXF: Ambitious For Change As A New Decade Dawns
The long awaited National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy was finally published in the closing weeks of 2019.
Culture Stripping
Dublin’s culture is quietly being stripped away, or at least that’s how many are feeling with recent venue closures
Travelling with HIV
Living with HIV shouldn’t stop you from living the life you want, and that includes travelling.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) Now Available Through The HSE
From November 4, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available free of charge through the HSE to those who are at substantial risk of contracting HIV through sex.
PUT ON YOUR RED SHOES
Fans of the Starman rejoice – the Dublin Bowie Festival is about to land. Falling to earth January 8, the space oddity himself will be celebrated with a feast of events. Here are just some of the highlights
Culture Club with Conor Behan
The end of the year always results in Best Of lists and countdowns. Depending on your perspective, it’s either a chance to catch up on what you missed from the previous 12 months or to eye-roll at pompous critics trying to outdo each other
Reeling in the Years: 2019
It’s been a memorable year for Ireland’s LGBT+ community. Here are just some of the highlights that took place across the country over the past 365 days
Rainbow Travel
While Disneyland proved to be the happiest place on earth, a simple trip abroad turned out to be anything but for Ranae von Meding. As well as telling all about her holiday to Orlando with her wife and daughters, she shares the reality of travel for families led by same-sex parents.
Stranger in your own land
While Poland remains more socially conservative than many countries in Western Europe, attitudes to LGBT+ issues are changing. Will St Leger speaks to activists standing strong in the face of oppression
Enter the Dragon
With a stage positioned 12 feet above the bar, and nothing but flimsy scaffolding to prevent performers from toppling onto the crowd below, mishaps were plentiful, and oſten expected. So how is it that The Dragon, a place so haphazard in design and atmosphere, is remembered so fondly by its former patrons? David Monaghan revisits a queer nightlife landmark
Safe House
From trans and non-binary folk forced into situations that may compromise their welfare, to an older generation at risk of isolation, to queer creatives unable to focus on making and doing, the effects of the housing crisis are diverse and unique in their manifestation. Here, Stephen Moloney speaks with a handful of members of the LGBT+ community to gain some insight into the lived experience of a broken system
Not Done Yet
It has been a remarkable few years for women in Ireland. Shubhangi Karmakar details a personal journey into activism and talks to other activists fighting the good fight.
A Year of Transformation
Pádraig Rice and Michael O’Donnell of the Gay Project in Cork fill us in on their amazing year supporting the community.
Get In Early!
As their successful Winter Pride draws to a close, Dublin Pride have announced that registrations for next year’s Dublin Pride Parade are now open.
New Year New You
Start 2020 by making new friends and blowing the cobwebs off with Wet and Wild’s annual January Hike!
PROTEST
Experiencing the genius of Derek Jarman at an exhibition in IMMA, Tonie Walsh gives us the background on, and the impact of, an unmatchable artist.
Looking for back issues?
Browse the Archive >

Previous Article Next Article
361
CONTENTS
Page 11
PAGE VIEW

GCN Magazine

Contact Privacy Policy California & US Privacy Terms & Conditions Cookie Policy
© pocketmags.com 2025
This is the official digital magazine archive for GCN, powered by pocketmags.com