This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

PrEP is medicine that people who do not have HIV can take to lower their chance of getting it. It is one of the most effective HIV prevention tools available, and it is available in Salt Lake City through public clinics, community health centers and university programs.

This guide explains how PrEP works, who it is for, the different forms, what the first visit looks like, and what it can cost in Salt Lake City. It also points you to local places that list PrEP among their services. Where a price or policy is not published, we say so and tell you who to ask.

Key takeaways

The CDC says PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed, and the risk from injection drug use by at least 74%.
PrEP comes in daily oral form and in long-acting injectable form. An on-demand approach exists, but it is used off-label and only in specific situations a clinician decides.
You need a prescription and an HIV test before starting, plus regular follow-up visits and tests.
The USPSTF gives PrEP a Grade A recommendation for people at increased risk, and most health plans must cover recommended preventive services under the Affordable Care Act. Check your own plan for details.
Several Salt Lake City clinics list PrEP or PrEP navigation. The Salt Lake County Health Department clinic publishes testing fees; others use sliding scales or insurance.
PrEP does not protect against other STIs, so regular STI testing is still part of staying well.

In this guide

What PrEP is and how well it works
Who PrEP is for
Types of PrEP: daily, on-demand and injectable
How to get PrEP in Salt Lake City
Free and low-cost PrEP clinics in Salt Lake City
What PrEP costs and how people pay for it
Staying on PrEP, other prevention tools and next steps
Sources

What PrEP is and how well it works

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. In plain terms, it is HIV prevention medicine taken before a possible exposure. A clinician prescribes it. You cannot get it over the counter.

How it works in the body

If HIV enters the body, the virus needs to make copies of itself to set up a lasting infection. PrEP medicine is present in the body to block that process. That is why it works best when it is taken as prescribed and why the levels in your body matter.

How well it works

The CDC says daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed. For people who inject drugs, the CDC says the reduction is at least 74%. Results are strongest when people take it consistently. No prevention method is perfect, so a clinician may also talk with you about other tools.

What PrEP does not do

PrEP protects against HIV only. It does not prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HPV or other infections. It is not a treatment for HIV, and it is not used by people who already have HIV. That is one reason an HIV test comes before the first prescription.

Why it matters in Salt Lake County

Utah IBIS-PH, the state health data portal, reports that about 1,887 people in Salt Lake County were living with HIV in 2020, a rate of 158.8 per 100,000 people. For the whole state, Utah IBIS-PH reports 135 new HIV diagnoses in 2021, a rate of 4.0 per 100,000. The same state portal shows that other STIs are more common in Salt Lake County than in Utah overall. In 2022 the county chlamydia rate was 479.7 per 100,000 people, compared with 328.7 for Utah. The county gonorrhea rate was 166.4, compared with 91.2 for the state. Primary and secondary syphilis was 13.7 per 100,000 in the county, compared with 7.0 for the state. The numbers are a reason to know your options, not a reason for worry.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is meant for people who do not have HIV and who may be more likely to be exposed to it. It is a decision you make with a clinician, who can talk through your situation without judgment. The CDC describes PrEP as an option for the groups below, and the USPSTF recommends that clinicians offer PrEP to people at increased risk.

People who have sex

The CDC lists PrEP as an option for sexually active adults and adolescents who:

Have a partner who has HIV, especially if that partner is not on treatment or does not have a suppressed viral load.
Have had a bacterial STI, such as syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia, in the past six months.
Do not use condoms consistently with partners whose HIV status they do not know, in situations where HIV is more likely.

These categories apply to every gender and orientation. Gay and bisexual men, transgender and nonbinary people, and heterosexual women and men can all be good candidates, depending on their circumstances.

People who inject drugs

The CDC lists PrEP as an option for people who inject drugs and who share injection equipment or have a partner who has HIV. Utah Naloxone, a harm reduction program in Salt Lake City, lists HIV testing, STI testing and treatment, and syringe services. Its listing does not mention PrEP, so ask the program what it offers or where it refers people.

Pregnancy and conception

Some people who are trying to conceive with a partner who has HIV talk with a clinician about PrEP. A clinician can explain what is known and what options exist for your situation.

Age

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (via its IBIS data portal) states that people age 14 and older can consent to STI services in Utah without a parent, under Utah Code 26B-7-214. The Salt Lake County Health Department clinic lists testing for anyone 14 or older. Whether a given clinic prescribes PrEP to minors is not published in the sources we reviewed, so call the clinic and ask before you go.

Not sure if it applies to you?

A short conversation with a clinician is the best way to find out. You do not need to be certain that you are at high risk. Saying you are curious about PrEP is enough to start the conversation.

Types of PrEP: daily, on-demand and injectable

There are three approaches. Which one fits depends on your body, your health history, your insurance and what you can keep up with.

Daily oral PrEP

This is the most widely used form. It is a pill that you take every day, as prescribed by a clinician. The CDC clinical guidance describes it for people who have sex and for people who inject drugs. For sex, the medicine needs some time to reach protective levels in the body, and that time can differ by the kind of sex. Your clinician will tell you when you are likely to be protected.

On-demand PrEP (often called 2-1-1)

On-demand dosing, sometimes known as 2-1-1, is a pattern of taking oral PrEP around a possible exposure rather than every day. It is not an FDA-approved approach. It has been studied in men who have sex with men, and it is not the same as the approved daily use. It has not been shown to work the same way for everyone, and the CDC describes the evidence mainly for men who have sex with men. If this interests you, bring it up with a clinician, who can say whether it fits your situation. Do not start or change how you take PrEP on your own.

Injectable PrEP

Long-acting injectable PrEP is given by a health care professional, so there is no daily pill to remember. The CDC and FDA have recognized injectable options, and the timing between injections is set by the product and your prescriber. Injectable PrEP can suit people who find it hard to take a pill every day. It may need more advance planning with a clinic, and not every clinic stocks it. The sources we reviewed do not say which Salt Lake City clinics offer injectable PrEP, so ask when you call.

Comparing the options

Form	How it is taken	Who it is described for	Good to ask about
Daily oral	A pill taken every day as prescribed	People who have sex and people who inject drugs (CDC)	Kidney tests, follow-up visits, side effects
On-demand (2-1-1)	Oral PrEP taken around an exposure, as a clinician directs	Studied in men who have sex with men; used off-label	Whether it fits your pattern of exposure
Injectable	Given by a clinician at set visits	Adults and adolescents who qualify	Availability, scheduling, cost and coverage

How to get PrEP in Salt Lake City

The process is usually the same everywhere: a visit, a few tests, a prescription, and follow-up. Here is what to expect.

Step 1: Choose where to start

You can begin with a primary care provider, a community health center, a public health clinic, or a clinic that lists PrEP among its services. The next section lists the Salt Lake City options we could confirm. If you have insurance, your plan's provider directory can show which clinics are in network.

Step 2: Call ahead

Some places take walk-ins and many prefer appointments. Ask these questions when you call:

Do you prescribe PrEP, and which forms do you offer?
What is the visit fee, and do you take my insurance or Medicaid?
Is there a sliding scale or other help if I am uninsured?
Which lab tests will I need, and what do they cost?
Do you have someone who helps with insurance or assistance forms?

Step 3: The first visit

A clinician will ask about your health, any medicines you take, and your recent sexual or injection history. These questions are routine and are asked to match you with the right options. You can share as much as you are comfortable with. You may be asked about pregnancy plans, vaccines and other health concerns too.

Step 4: Baseline tests

The CDC clinical guidance for PrEP calls for these tests before you start:

An HIV test. PrEP is only started for people who test negative for HIV. If you may have been exposed in the last few days, tell the clinician.
Kidney function. A blood test helps the clinician choose a suitable form of PrEP.
Hepatitis B testing. This shows whether you have infection or immunity, and whether vaccination is an option.
STI testing. This often includes syphilis, and chlamydia and gonorrhea tests from the sites of possible exposure, such as urine, throat or rectum.

A hepatitis C test may also be offered. A clinician decides which tests apply to you.

About HIV test timing

No HIV test can detect infection right after an exposure. The CDC gives these general windows: a nucleic acid test can detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure, an antigen/antibody lab test on a blood draw can usually detect it 18 to 45 days after, a rapid antigen/antibody test from a finger stick 18 to 90 days after, and antibody tests 23 to 90 days after. If you think you had a recent exposure, tell the clinician. The CDC also describes PEP, a different medicine started within 72 hours after a possible exposure, which is a separate topic from PrEP. A clinician can tell you what applies in your case.

Step 5: The prescription and start

If PrEP is a good fit and your tests allow it, the clinician prescribes it. They will explain when it starts to protect you and how to take it. Treatment details, including dose and timing, come only from your prescriber.

Step 6: Follow-up

The CDC guidance describes follow-up visits about every three months for people taking oral PrEP. Visits usually include an HIV test, STI testing based on your activity, and a talk about how it is going. Kidney tests are done on a schedule your clinician sets. Injectable PrEP has its own visit schedule.

Free and low-cost PrEP clinics in Salt Lake City

The places below list PrEP or PrEP navigation, or they are useful for the testing that comes with PrEP. Hours, prices and policies can change, so confirm with the clinic before you go. The CDC's GetTested locator can also help you find testing sites by ZIP code.

Salt Lake County Health Department, Salt Lake Public Health Center

The county's STD Clinic and Infectious Disease Clinic is at 610 South 200 East in Salt Lake City, entered from 200 East. The county lists PrEP, doxy-PEP, rapid HIV testing and treatment among its services. Its page says it is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and it opens at 1:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Walk-ins are accepted when possible, though appointments shorten the wait. Call 385-468-4242 (the STD Prevention Program is 385-468-4185). The county clinic page has more.

The county publishes these fees: an office visit is $60 for Salt Lake County residents and $80 for people outside the county. There is no office visit fee if you are tested only for HIV. An HIV blood test is $50, syphilis testing is $40, and chlamydia and gonorrhea testing is $40 per site. The county says rapid HIV testing is free to high-risk individuals while grant funds last. The clinic says it cannot bill health insurance. The county page does not list a price for PrEP itself, so ask the clinic what a PrEP visit and prescription would involve.

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Salt Lake Health Center

This center is at 654 S 900 E, and the phone is (801) 322-5571. The CDC GetTested directory lists rapid and blood-draw HIV testing, hepatitis B and C testing, and herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests. It also lists PrEP navigation, PrEP for people without insurance, and adult hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. The listing says an appointment is required, insurance and Medicaid are accepted, and fees are on a sliding scale. Hours are not listed, so check the directory listing or call.

University of Utah Health, Redwood Health Center (HIV PrEP Program)

The Redwood Health Center is at 1525 W 2100 S, and the phone is (801) 213-9900. The CDC GetTested listing names an HIV PrEP program with PrEP navigation, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing, hepatitis A and B vaccines and HPV vaccine. It says insurance is accepted and that PrEP is available for people without insurance. Hours and walk-in policy are not listed, so call first. See the listing.

Community Health Centers, Inc.

This federally qualified health center network has two Salt Lake City sites in the CDC directory. The Oquirrh View Community Health Center is at 4745 S 3200 W, phone (801) 964-6214. The Ellis R. Shipp Clinic is at 4535 S 5600 W, phone (801) 676-4405. The listings name HIV, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing and treatment, with fees on a sliding scale, and insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted. The directory entries do not name PrEP as a service, but Oquirrh View lists ADAP drug purchasing assistance and case management. Ask whether PrEP is available or where they refer patients. Appointments are required at Oquirrh View. Hours are not listed.

University of Utah Student Health Center

The Student Health Center at 555 Foothill Dr, Level 1, phone 801-581-6431, offers HIV and STI testing by appointment, with visit and lab charges. Its page also says Campus Wellness mobile clinics offer free HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for people without symptoms. The page does not say whether people who are not students can use the center, and it does not mention PrEP. Check with them directly.

Utah Naloxone (Andy's Wellness Center)

Utah Naloxone is at 525 East 100 South, Suite 4400, phone (385) 495-9050. A national harm reduction directory lists HIV, hepatitis C and STI testing, treatment, syringe services and naloxone distribution. It lists the hours as Monday, Thursday and Friday from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Cost and walk-in policy are not stated, and PrEP is not listed, so call to ask.

For a fuller list of places to get tested, see our guide to STD testing in Salt Lake City.

What PrEP costs and how people pay for it

The cost of PrEP depends on several things: the form you use, whether you have insurance, where you go, and what lab work is needed. It is not one fixed number. Because of that, the most useful step is to ask each clinic for the full picture, including the visit, the labs and the medicine.

The parts of the cost

The medicine. Oral PrEP and injectable PrEP are priced differently.
The clinic visit. Some clinics charge a visit fee, and some bill insurance.
Lab tests. HIV, kidney, hepatitis B and STI tests are part of the usual routine.
Follow-up. Repeat visits and tests continue as long as you take PrEP.

If you have health insurance

The USPSTF gives PrEP a Grade A recommendation for people at increased risk of HIV. Under the Affordable Care Act, most private plans must cover services with an A or B grade without cost-sharing. Federal guidance has also said that related services, such as the HIV test, kidney function test, hepatitis B and C testing, and STI screening, count as part of that coverage. Some plans, such as grandfathered plans, may work differently, and details differ by plan. Call the number on your card and ask: is PrEP covered as a preventive service, which clinics are in network, and does my plan need prior authorization?

If you have Medicaid

Utah Medicaid rules apply to PrEP coverage. We could not confirm the details in the sources we reviewed, so ask your plan or a clinic that accepts Medicaid, such as those listed above.

If you do not have insurance

Options to ask about include:

Sliding-scale clinics. Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and Community Health Centers, Inc. list sliding-scale fees.
PrEP for uninsured patients. The CDC GetTested listings for Planned Parenthood and the University of Utah Redwood Health Center both say PrEP is available to people without insurance.
PrEP navigation. Both of those listings also name PrEP navigation, which means a staff member who helps with coverage and assistance applications.
The county clinic. The Salt Lake County Health Department clinic lists PrEP and publishes testing fees, but says it cannot bill insurance. Ask what it would charge for PrEP.

Assistance programs

We could not confirm a Utah state PrEP assistance program in the sources we reviewed. Two Community Health Centers and University of Utah Health listings mention ADAP drug purchasing assistance. ADAP is generally a program for people living with HIV, so ask a navigator what applies to PrEP. For other help, such as medicine manufacturer assistance, ask your clinic's navigator or the Salt Lake County Health Department at 385-468-4242 what is available now. Programs and funding change often.

A note on HIV PrEP cost and testing cost

People often ask about HIV PrEP cost as one number, but the visit, labs and medicine each have a price. The Salt Lake County Health Department's published testing fees give a sense of the lab portion: $50 for an HIV blood test, $40 for syphilis, and $40 per site for chlamydia and gonorrhea, with a $60 or $80 office visit unless you are only being tested for HIV. Other clinics do not publish fees in the sources we reviewed, so ask before you book.

Staying on PrEP, other prevention tools and next steps

Side effects and safety

Many people take PrEP with few problems. Some report mild stomach upset or headache early on, and the CDC notes that these often go away. Kidney and bone effects are a reason for regular lab checks. Tell your clinician about any other medicines, and call the clinic if something worries you. Do not stop taking PrEP without talking with the prescriber, since it may affect your protection.

If you want to stop

You can stop PrEP when your situation changes, such as a change in partners or in circumstances. Ask your clinician how to do it safely and how long protection is likely to last after the last dose. They will also advise on follow-up HIV testing.

PrEP and other STIs

PrEP does not prevent bacterial STIs. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with treatment from a clinician. Herpes and HPV can be managed but not cured. Regular STI testing is part of PrEP follow-up, and it is recommended because many STIs cause no symptoms. In Utah, the Department of Health and Human Services lists chlamydia and gonorrhea as the infections covered by expedited partner therapy, in which a clinician can provide treatment for a patient's partner, under Utah Code 58-1-501.3 (CDC, Legal Status of EPT in Utah).

Doxy-PEP

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, or doxy-PEP. It describes doxy-PEP for men who have sex with men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year, as a way to lower the chance of getting syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia. It is a prescription, and a clinician decides if it fits. The Salt Lake County Health Department lists doxy-PEP among its services. It is separate from PrEP, and it does not protect against HIV.

PEP after a possible exposure

PEP is HIV medicine taken after a possible exposure. The CDC says it must start as soon as possible and within 72 hours. If this applies to you, contact a clinic, urgent care or emergency department right away and say you are asking about PEP.

Pregnancy and syphilis screening

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services cites Utah Code 26B-7-216, which calls for syphilis screening of all pregnant patients within 10 days of the first exam. Anyone who is pregnant or planning a pregnancy can ask their clinician about the full set of recommended screenings.

Common questions

Do I need to test every time?

Testing is part of every follow-up visit while you are on PrEP, and the clinician will tell you which tests apply. Testing between visits is also fine at any time.

Can I get PrEP if I have no symptoms?

Yes. PrEP is prevention. You do not need to feel unwell or have symptoms to talk to a clinician about it.

Will I be judged?

Clinicians who prescribe PrEP see people of every gender, orientation and background. If a visit does not feel respectful, you can try another clinic.

Where do I start this week?

Pick one clinic from the list above and call. Ask about PrEP, the visit and lab costs, and whether an appointment is needed. If you want to begin with free or low-cost testing, the Salt Lake County Health Department clinic and the CDC GetTested locator are good first stops. A baseline HIV test is the first step toward a PrEP prescription anyway.

PrEP in Salt Lake City: How to Get It, What It Costs and Who It Is For