PrEP Explained: Everything You Need To Know

What is PrEP?

PrEP is a medication strategy that is 99% effective at preventing HIV when taken as prescribed.

When you’re on PrEP, you take medication that helps prevent you from getting HIV even if you’re exposed to it.

PrEP is most commonly prescribed as a once-a-day pill. The best way to find out what type of PrEP would work for you is to talk to a healthcare professional.

Take free HIV risk assessment

Is PrEP right for me?

If you are not living with HIV, PrEP can help protect you against HIV, no matter your gender or body type.

PrEP is typically prescribed to people considered at higher risk of HIV exposure.

Freddie’s HIV risk assessment tells you whether PrEP could meaningfully reduce your HIV risk — along with how much you’d likely pay for PrEP.

Side Effects

What are PrEP's side effects?

Side effects from PrEP are rare, typically minor, and usually go away in 1 to 2 weeks.

Less than 10% of people who start PrEP may experience short-term side effects including nausea, headaches, diarrhea and vomiting.

In a small number of people, PrEP can result in a decrease in kidney function and bone density. Research shows that this is rare (less than 1% of people). It can usually be reversed after stopping PrEP, and detected early through regular testing.

Contact

Ask the Freddie Care Team

Have more questions? Email the Freddie Care Team and an expert will be in touch soon!

Contact Freddie

Cost Start

How much does PrEP cost?

Get an estimate of how much you’d pay for PrEP by answering a few quick questions.

What province do you live in?

Alberta

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes your provincial healthcare number, Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP), or benefits through federal programs such as IFHB and NIHB.

Alberta - GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Alberta - GCY PIY

per month

for people in Alberta with government healthcare coverage

PrEP is available in Alberta at no cost for people who:

Are registered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, or receive healthcare benefits through a federal program
Meet the Alberta PrEP eligibility criteria
Receive their prescription from a designated PrEP prescriber

Completing Freddie's HIV risk assessment will let you know if you meet the criteria for receiving PrEP in Alberta.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Alberta - GCY PIN

per month

for people in Alberta with government healthcare coverage

PrEP is available in Alberta at no cost for people who:

Are registered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, or receive healthcare benefits through a federal program
Meet the Alberta PrEP eligibility criteria
Receive their prescription from a designated PrEP prescriber

Completing Freddie's HIV risk assessment will let you know if you meet the criteria for receiving PrEP in Alberta.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Alberta - GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Alberta - GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people in Alberta with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

British Columbia

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes your provincial healthcare number, BC Pharmacare, or benefits through federal programs such as IFHB and NIHB.

British Columbia - GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

British Columbia - GCY PIY

$0-50

per month

for people in BC with government and private healthcare coverage

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

PrEP is also available for free under BC's Medical Services Plan. However, due to provincial regulations, Freddie can only accept private insurance for BC patients at this time.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

British Columbia - GCY PIN

per month

for people in BC with government healthcare coverage

You can get generic PrEP free with BC’s Medical Services Plan.

Due to provincial regulations, Freddie can’t offer PrEP to BC residents without private insurance. But you can still get PrEP at no cost by physically visiting a doctor or clinic within The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS network.

British Columbia - GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

British Columbia - GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people in BC with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Manitoba

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes your provincial healthcare number, Manitoba Pharmacare Program, or benefits through federal programs such as IFHB and NIHB.

Manitoba - GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Manitoba - GCY PIY

per month

for people in Manitoba with private or public healthcare coverage

PrEP is now fully covered by Manitoba Health and is available at no cost to residents with a Manitoba Health Card.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Manitoba - GCY PIN

per month

for people in Manitoba without private health insurance

PrEP is now fully covered by Manitoba Health and is available at no cost to residents with a Manitoba Health Card.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Manitoba - GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Manitoba - GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people in Manitoba with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - Age

How old are you?

24 or younger

25-64

65 or older

Ontario - 24 or younger

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes programs like OHIP, OHIP+, ODB, ODSP, IFHP, NIHB, and Trillium.

Ontario - 24 or younger, GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 24 or younger, GCY PIY

$0-50

per month

for people 24 or younger in Ontario with government coverage and private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Freddie’s financial assistance program covers the rest, meaning you get PrEP from Freddie for $0!

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 24 or younger, GCY PIN

per month

for people 24 or younger in Ontario with government coverage

Ontario residents 24 years and younger are fully covered by OHIP+ as long as they are not on a private insurance plan.

You do not have to enroll or register — as long as you are under 25 and are not on any private insurance plan, you're covered.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 24 or younger, GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 24 or younger, GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people ages 25-64 in Ontario with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Freddie’s financial assistance program covers the rest, meaning you get PrEP from Freddie for $0!

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 25-64

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes programs like OHIP, OHIP+, ODB, ODSP, IFHP, NIHB, and Trillium.

Ontario - 25-64, GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 25-64, GCY PIY

$0-50

per month

for people ages 25-64 in Ontario with government coverage and private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Freddie’s financial assistance program covers the rest, meaning you get PrEP from Freddie for $0!

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 25-64, GCY PIN

$0-150

per month

for people ages 25-64 in Ontario with government coverage

The Ontario Drug Benefit program can reduce your PrEP cost if you are enrolled in:

Trillium Drug Program
Ontario Disability Support Program
Ontario Works

With both the Ontario Drug Benefit and Freddie financial assistance, it’s likely the majority of your PrEP cost would be covered.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 25-64, GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 25-64, GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people ages 25-64 in Ontario with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Freddie’s financial assistance program covers the rest, meaning you get PrEP from Freddie for $0!

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 65 or older

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes programs like OHIP, OHIP+, ODB, ODSP, IFHP, NIHB, and Trillium.

Ontario - 65+, GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 65+, GCY PIY

Almost $0

per month

for people 65 or older in Ontario with government coverage and private health insurance

Ontario residents aged 65 or over automatically qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program, which covers PrEP.

While there is a deductible for drugs purchased through the ODB program, it is extremely low. You'll pay almost nothing for PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 65+, GCY PIN

Almost $0

per month

for people 65 or older in Ontario with government coverage

Ontario residents aged 65 or over automatically qualify for the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program, which covers PrEP.

While there is a deductible for drugs purchased through the ODB program, it is extremely low. You'll pay almost nothing for PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Ontario - 65+, GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Ontario - 65+, GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people ages 25-64 in Ontario with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Freddie’s financial assistance program covers the rest, meaning you get PrEP from Freddie for $0!

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Saskatchewan

Do you have government healthcare coverage?

This includes your provincial healthcare number, Saskatchewan Drug Plan, or benefits through federal programs such as IFHB and NIHB.

Saskatchewan - GCY

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Saskatchewan - GCY PIY

per month

for people in Saskatchewan with government and private healthcare coverage

In Saskatchewan, PrEP is fully covered by the provincial government for individuals who are at a higher risk of HIV.

You can find out if you meet the criteria for getting PrEP covered by taking Freddie's HIV risk assessment.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Saskatchewan - GCY PIN

per month

for people in Saskatchewan with government healthcare coverage

In Saskatchewan, PrEP is fully covered by the provincial government for individuals who are at a higher risk of HIV.

You can find out if you meet the criteria for getting PrEP covered by taking Freddie's HIV risk assessment.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Saskatchewan - GCN

Do you have private health insurance?

This is health insurance through your employer, school, or other source that helps pay for prescription medications.

Saskatchewan - GCN PIY

$0-50

per month

for people in Saskatchewan with private health insurance

Most private insurance plans cover about 80% of the cost of PrEP.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.

Refugee or Temporary Resident

NO Final Flow

$250

per month

without coverage or financial assistance

If you are in one of the following groups, you may be eligible for federal assistance that could reduce your PrEP cost.

First Nations or Inuit

Veterans Affairs Canada Card Holder

First Nations or Inuit

Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB)
The NIHB program provides benefits for First Nations registered under the Indian Act and Inuit who are recognized by an Inuit land claim organization. You can learn more about the NIHB program’s eligibility criteria at the Indigenous Services Canada website.

Refugee or Temporary Resident

Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)
The IHFP covers certain healthcare benefits for resettled refugees, refugee claimants, and certain other groups until they become eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance. You can read more about this program’s eligibility here.

Veteran Affairs Canada Card Holder

Treatment Benefits Program
The Treatment Benefits Program covers anyone with a Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) health card. You can read more about this program’s eligibility here.

Get PrEP at the lowest cost with Freddie.