Honored to Be Part of the Terrence Higgins Trust Campaign for the Third Year in a Row

Being part of the National HIV Testing Campaign in the UK for Terrence Higgins Trust. Your body, your sexual health, your wellbeing—looking after them starts with YOU. The PrEP Protects campaign by Terrence Higgins Trust highlights a powerful tool in stopping HIV: PrEP.

I am truly amazed and deeply honored to be part of the Terrence Higgins Trust campaign for the third consecutive year. Being able to stand alongside such a passionate movement that champions sexual health, community wellbeing, and the fight against HIV fills me with pride. It’s inspiring to see how our collective efforts can create change, and I am more optimistic than ever about a future free from HIV stigma and transmission. Being part of this community makes me proud—for those who have led the way, for those who join us, and for the countless people impacted by our work. Together, we are building a world where sexual health is recognized as an integral part of our lives and where support and education empower us all.

We’ve launched a PrEP awareness campaign, ‘PrEP Protects’ to raise awareness of the HIV prevention medication. Over 95,000 people currently take PrEP in England, which stops them getting HIV. But many more could benefit from taking it. The UK Health Security Agency’s latest report on PrEP in England shows that inequalities in getting PrEP continue to exist by gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.

The campaign, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of the HIV Prevention England programme, is aimed at gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexuals, the two groups that continue to face disproportionate levels of new HIV diagnoses.

**Quick Guide: How to Take PrEP & Why It Matters**

**What is PrEP?**

PrEP is a highly effective pill—over 99% when taken correctly—that protects HIV-negative people from catching the virus. It works by providing enough medication in your body before exposure to block HIV if it gets in.

**Starting PrEP**

- Get tested for HIV to confirm you’re negative.

- Take two pills 2-24 hours before sex or drug use to start protection.

- Then choose a routine: daily, four times a week, or on-demand around sex.

**Different Ways to Take PrEP**

- **Daily:** One pill every day—most straightforward, with protection always ‘on.’

- **Four-times-a-week:** Pills on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, making it easy to remember.

- **Event-based:** Two pills before sex, then one 24 hours after, and another 24 hours after that—around the time you have sex.

**Sticking to Your Routine**

- Take pills at the same time every day.

- Use pill boxes or apps like PrEP Emerge or PrEPtime for reminders.

- Carry your medication when you’re traveling.

**Additional STI Protection**

PrEP doesn’t protect against other STIs. Use condoms, get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B, HPV, and gonorrhoea, and consider doxycycline if appropriate.

**Take Control**

Choose the method that works best for you and take your PrEP as prescribed. Regular testing and STI checks will help keep you protected and healthy.

For more info, visit your sexual health clinic or talk to a healthcare provider.

@thtorguk

@startswith_me

https://vimeo.com/893258294?p=1s

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