HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) consists in administering certain medicines (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil combined in right proportions into one pill). They help prevent HIV infection.
PrEP should not be considered as an alternative to other HIV prevention methods. It is a supplementary method from which some groups of people might benefit (e.g. those who have unprotected sex with random people). Only people that are not infected can use PrEP.
Studies have estimated that PrEP’s efficacy is over 99%, if used consistently, with no regime disruptions (either on-daily basis or on-demand regime).
PrEP can be prescribed by any doctor. The implementation of this method and further patient management, however, requires running specific tests on a regular basis. As a consequence, a number of facilities specialising in this kind of HIV prevention were created in Poland. PrEP centres are being founded mainly in major Polish cities.
In Lesser Poland, PrEP is available in the following facilities.
Solimed Medical Centre
os. Szymanowskiego 6 32-020 Wieliczka
Jakub Loster, MD, infectious disease specialist
Solimed in Wieliczka is one of the two facilities offering PrEP in Lesser Poland. Under Jakub Loster’s supervision, patients are informed about what tests are needed and where they can be done and get a prescription for medications used in PrEP. Thus, PrEP patients are under comprehensive medical care.
Visit the PrEP tab on Medical Centre’s website: https://cmsolimed.pl/prep/
The website contains information about pricing and an online registration form.
The clinic is accessible by public transport. Buses 304 and 244 run every 20-30 minutes on weekdays.
Telephone: 516 077 076
E-mail: info@cmsolimed.pl
Online registration: https://rejestracja.cmsolimed.pl/
Arkady Medical Centre
ul. Szafrana 5B/27 30-363 Kraków
Marek Sitko, MD, infectious disease specialist
Maciej Pastuszczak, MD, PhD, dermatology and venerology specialist
Arkady Medical Centre in Kraków is another place currently offering PrEP in Lesser Poland. In this facility, a patient also gets information on which tests need to be done and a prescription for PrEP medications.
Visit the PrEP tab on Medical Centre’s webpage: https://www.arkadycm.pl/poradnia-prep-krakow.html
The website contains pricing information.
The clinic is accessible by public transport – bus and tram lines.
Telephone: 690 933 005,12 349 01 59
E-mail: arkadycm@gmail.com
Marek Sitko sees patients in two other facilities belonging to Klinika Krakowska specialist clinic.
- Mehoffera 6, 31-322 Kraków; telephone: 668 195 155, 12 638 38 18
- Zachodnia 5/12a, Kraków; telephone: 604 632 346, 12 267 62 60