Sexual health · London
Private HIV PrEP clinic - London.
Same-day baseline bloods and a prescription for daily Truvada, Descovy, or on-demand 2-1-1 dosing. A specialist sexual health team, discreet clinics across central London, and 3-monthly follow-up that fits around your life.
Why patients choose us
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Same-day start, discreet clinics
Baseline bloods, a script and a prescription in one visit. No waiting list, no letter to your GP unless you want one.
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Daily or on-demand, based on your risk
A frank conversation about how you actually have sex, then the regimen that fits - not a one-size answer.
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A named sexual health specialist
Not an app. A consultant or specialist nurse who follows you 3-monthly and manages any side effects or resistance concerns.
What PrEP is
A daily or on-demand tablet that stops HIV from establishing infection.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a combination of two antiretroviral drugs, tenofovir and emtricitabine, taken either every day or around the time you have sex.
Taken correctly, PrEP reduces HIV acquisition by more than 99%. The drug sits inside vulnerable cells before HIV arrives, so if you are exposed, the virus cannot establish infection. It is not a vaccine and it is not treatment for existing HIV - the person taking it must be HIV-negative.
Two options are licensed in the UK: generic Truvada (tenofovir disoproxil + emtricitabine) and branded Descovy (tenofovir alafenamide + emtricitabine). Truvada is the cheaper, more-studied option and can also be taken on demand. Descovy is gentler on the kidneys and bones and is the preferred switch if either becomes a concern.
Who benefits
Who PrEP is for - and why the answer is broader than most people think.
PrEP is a straightforward choice for anyone whose sex life carries a meaningful risk of HIV. That is a wider group than the guidelines sometimes suggest.
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Men who have sex with men and trans women
Any condomless anal sex, particularly with new or multiple partners, is a straightforward indication for PrEP.
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Sero-different partnerships
Where a partner is HIV-positive and not yet on treatment, or without a confirmed undetectable viral load.
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Chemsex and group sex
Any use of mephedrone, GHB/GBL or crystal meth around sex - PrEP plus regular STI screening is the safe combination.
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Injection drug use with shared kit
Sharing needles, syringes or filters. PrEP is protective alongside needle exchange and harm-reduction support.
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Sex workers
Anyone selling sex, of any gender, who wants a reliable biomedical layer on top of condoms.
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Any elevated-risk practice
Condomless sex with partners of unknown status, recent bacterial STI, or a self-assessed risk you want to cover.
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Recently used PEP - moving to PrEP
If you have needed post-exposure prophylaxis in the last year, PrEP is usually the safer forward step.
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Not sure? Book a consult.
PrEP is a conversation, not a checklist. If you are asking the question, it is worth 30 minutes with a clinician.
Regimens
Daily Truvada, daily Descovy, or on-demand 2-1-1.
Generic Truvada is £45-£95 a month. Descovy runs £110-£150. On-demand 2-1-1 is the same Truvada, used differently - only for men who have sex with men, per PROUD and IPERGAY evidence.
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Daily Truvada (TDF/FTC)
One tablet, every day. Generic tenofovir disoproxil + emtricitabine. The most-studied, cheapest option. Full protection at day 7 for anal sex, day 21 for vaginal sex.
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Daily Descovy (TAF/FTC)
One tablet daily. Tenofovir alafenamide + emtricitabine. Preferred if you have reduced kidney function, low bone density, or ongoing bone concerns. Not licensed for receptive vaginal sex in current UK guidance.
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On-demand (event-driven) 2-1-1
2 tablets of Truvada 2 to 24 hours before sex, 1 tablet 24 hours after the first dose, 1 tablet 24 hours after that. Evidence base is PROUD and IPERGAY - men who have sex with men only.
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Stop-and-start
Take daily PrEP through a defined higher-risk period (a holiday, a new relationship, a phase of your life), then stop. Continue for 7 days after your last exposure.
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Long-acting injectable (cabotegravir)
A 2-monthly intramuscular injection. Not yet routinely available privately in the UK but licensed - we will tell you honestly when it becomes accessible.
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NHS PrEP
Free from every English sexual health clinic since 2020. Waiting lists of 4-12 weeks are common in London. Same medication, same evidence - just slower to start.
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Home-post remote prescribing
For stable users who cannot attend in person: video consult, home finger-prick bloods, medication posted. Suitable after your first face-to-face review.
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PEP - post-exposure prophylaxis
If you have already had a potential exposure, PEP within 72 hours is the correct step, not PrEP. See our separate PEP page.
Baseline and monitoring
From first visit to steady-state - what happens, in order.
A full baseline workup at the first visit, then a light-touch review every 3 months and a full STI screen every 3 to 6 months.
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Before
Book a same-day slot
Central London clinics can usually see you within 24 hours. Online triage takes 5 minutes.
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At the clinic
Baseline consultation and bloods
30-minute consult, HIV 4th-gen test, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea NAAT (throat, rectal, urine), U&E, ALT, urinalysis.
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At the clinic
Prescription in hand
Generic Truvada or Descovy dispensed the same day if HIV point-of-care is negative. Written dosing plan for daily or event-driven use.
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After
Start PrEP
Daily dosing: full protection at day 7 for anal sex, day 21 for vaginal sex. On-demand: 2 tablets 2-24 hours before sex.
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After
3-month review
Repeat HIV test, U&E, hepatitis screen, plus an STI screen. Adjust regimen if your risk profile has changed.
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After
Ongoing, 3-6 monthly
Bloods every 3 months, STI screen every 3-6 months. Prescriptions posted or collected. Change or stop whenever you want.
NHS PrEP
PrEP is free on the NHS - the trade-off is time.
Every sexual health clinic in England has offered PrEP free of charge since October 2020. Wait times of 4 to 12 weeks are the norm in London.
If you can wait, the NHS route is excellent - the medication, monitoring and specialist expertise are the same. Book directly with 56 Dean Street, Mortimer Market, Homerton, Ambrose King, John Hunter or your local sexual health service. There is no referral needed.
Private clinics exist for people who need same-day access, cannot fit an NHS clinic into their working day, want a fixed appointment time rather than walk-in, or prefer the discretion of a private setting. Both routes are legitimate. Ask us honestly if the NHS option would serve you better.
Cost in private London
What private PrEP costs in London.
Indicative ranges across central London clinics. We confirm firm figures with the clinic you pick before you book.
In short
Generic Truvada: £45-£95 a month. Descovy: £110-£150 a month. Reviews every 3 months.
| Item | Indicative range | Typical duration | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation + baseline bloods + STI screen | £150-£280 | 45 min | Same day |
| Generic Truvada (TDF/FTC) - monthly supply | £45-£95 | 30-day pack | Same day |
| Descovy (TAF/FTC) - monthly supply | £110-£150 | 30-day pack | Same day |
| 3-monthly review + bloods | £120-£250 | 20-30 min | Same visit |
| Full STI screen (add-on) | £180-£320 | 15 min | 2-3 days |
| On-demand dosing consultation and plan | £150-£220 | 30 min | Same visit |
Costs vary by clinic, by whether you buy generic or branded, and whether you bundle bloods and STI screening. Insurance rarely covers preventive PrEP itself but may cover the consultation.
Where in London
A small, vetted panel of London PrEP clinics.
Introductions are private. Once we understand your situation, we suggest the clinic that fits your location, budget and how you prefer to be seen.
Where we send patients
- 56 Dean Street and Chelsea and Westminster Private (Soho)
- The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) sexual health service
- Freedomhealth (City and West End)
- London Doctors Clinic (multiple sites)
- Simple Online Pharmacy (remote prescribing after face-to-face review)
- Balance Sexual Health
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GMC-registered sexual health consultants or senior specialist nurses
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CQC-registered clinics with on-site phlebotomy and confidential records
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Full STI panel including throat and rectal NAAT swabs, not just urine
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Direct referral pathways for resistant STIs, hepatitis and HIV-positive results
Safety and side effects
What to expect - honestly.
PrEP has been used by millions of people for a decade. The safety profile is very well characterised and the practical things to watch are few.
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Short-term side effects
Nausea, headache and loose stools in the first 2 weeks for around 1 in 10 users. Almost always settles. Taking the tablet with food helps.
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Kidney monitoring
Tenofovir (TDF) can nudge creatinine up. We check U&E at baseline, 1 month, then 3-monthly. Descovy is easier on the kidneys and is the switch option.
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Bone density
TDF causes a small, reversible drop in bone mineral density. Not clinically important for most, but Descovy is preferred if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis risk.
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Hepatitis B is essential to test
Both drugs treat hepatitis B. If you have chronic hepatitis B and stop PrEP abruptly, a flare is possible. We check surface antigen at baseline and plan accordingly.
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PrEP does not protect against other STIs
Regular gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis and mpox screening is part of the routine, 3 to 6 monthly. Condoms remain relevant if that matters to you.
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Doxy-PEP for bacterial STIs
A 200mg dose of doxycycline within 72 hours of condomless sex reduces bacterial STIs. Discussed as an add-on where indicated.
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Adherence is what matters
4 daily doses per week gives near-full protection for anal sex; daily is required for vaginal sex. Missed doses are a conversation, not a failure.
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Resistance is very rare
HIV resistance on PrEP is almost only seen if PrEP is started during undiagnosed acute HIV infection. That is why the baseline HIV test is non-negotiable.
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Red flags after starting
Flu-like illness, rash or fever in the first weeks of PrEP - come back for a repeat HIV test. Rare, but always taken seriously.
Related
Adjacent services.
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HIV PEP clinic
Post-exposure prophylaxis within 72 hours of a potential HIV exposure.
Learn more -
Full private STI screen
HIV, syphilis, hepatitis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea at all sites.
Learn more -
HPV genotyping test
High-risk HPV genotyping including 16 and 18 for cervical and anal screening.
Learn more
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about PrEP.
Quick answers on stopping and starting, side effects, insurance, on-demand dosing, and condoms.
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Can I stop and start PrEP?
Yes. Stop-and-start dosing is a recognised strategy. Start daily PrEP 7 days before a defined higher-risk period (2 hours before if you use the on-demand 2-1-1 loading dose, men who have sex with men only), stay on it through the period, and continue for 7 days after your last exposure. Talk to us before you stop so we can plan HIV and hepatitis B follow-up.
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What are the side effects?
Around 1 in 10 people get mild nausea, headache or looser stools in the first 2 weeks, and almost all of it settles. Taking the tablet with food helps. Long-term, tenofovir (Truvada) can nudge creatinine up and slightly reduce bone density - both are reversible and monitored 3-monthly. Descovy avoids most of these effects and is the switch if bloods or bone density become a concern.
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Will insurance cover PrEP?
Most UK private health insurers do not cover PrEP itself, because it is preventive rather than treatment for an illness. They may cover the consultation and STI screening under a sexual health benefit. NHS PrEP is free at every English sexual health clinic. We are happy to check your policy before you book.
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Who can use on-demand (2-1-1) PrEP?
The evidence base for event-driven 2-1-1 dosing (the PROUD and IPERGAY trials) is in men who have sex with men. It is not recommended for cisgender women or for receptive vaginal sex - the drug levels in vaginal tissue are lower and slower to build. If you fit that group and have sex you can plan a few hours ahead, 2-1-1 is an excellent option.
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Is PrEP only for gay men?
No. PrEP works for anyone at elevated risk of HIV: cisgender and trans women, heterosexual men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and anyone in a sero-different relationship without a confirmed undetectable viral load. The regimen and dosing schedule differ - daily is required for vaginal sex - but the protection is real for everyone.
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Do I still need condoms?
PrEP protects against HIV, and only HIV. Condoms remain the most effective barrier against gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, mpox, hepatitis A and B, and unplanned pregnancy. Many PrEP users combine both. Some use PrEP alone with 3-monthly STI screening and doxy-PEP as a back-up. Both are reasonable, adult choices - we will help you decide.
Ready when you are
Same-day PrEP in a private London clinic - discreet, straightforward, adult.
Tell us a little about what you need. We come back within a working day with two or three options and a plain price. No judgement, no pressure, no letter to your GP unless you want one.