The Situation

Denmark's sexual health system is free, high-quality, and works — but it has two features that shape how you use it. First, it is digitised: booking, records, and access all flow through a CPR number and MitID. Second, PrEP is a hospital-only service: you cannot collect it at a community pharmacy, and you cannot get it without a referral to an Infectious Disease Department.

The system has evolved around two parallel infrastructure pieces:

  • The community clinic: Checkpoint (AIDS-Fondet) is the gay-specific anchor — four cities, no CPR required, three-site testing, vaccination, counselling, and referral facilitation. It is the fastest and most affirming route into care for most things.
  • The hospital: Infectious Disease Departments at the regional university hospitals handle PrEP, HIV management, PEP follow-up, and complex cases. The hospital is where the medication lives; Checkpoint is how you get there smoothly.

🗺️ The Denmark Guide Map

The Clinics

Prevention

Emergencies

  • > PEP in Denmark: Skadestuen
    • Capital Region: Call 1813 first. Outside Copenhagen: go directly to Akutmodtagelse at nearest large hospital. Free. 72-hour window.

Support

Language

The Golden Rules

Rule 1: Get Your CPR Number If You're Staying

If you are living in Denmark, the CPR number is your key to everything — free PrEP, hospital appointments, online booking, prescriptions. Register at your local Borgerservice (citizens' service centre). Without it, you are working around a locked door. Checkpoint and emergency care don't require it, but everything else does.

Rule 2: Checkpoint First, Hospital Second

For routine testing, vaccination, counselling, and PrEP referrals — go to Checkpoint. It is faster, more affirming, and no CPR required. Save the hospital for what only the hospital can do: PrEP dispensing, complex treatment, and PEP follow-up.

Rule 3: Call 1813 Before the A&E in Copenhagen

In the Capital Region, the medical helpline 1813 coordinates emergency care. Calling first — telling them you need PEP — means they direct you to the right hospital and can flag your arrival. Outside Copenhagen, go directly to the nearest large hospital Akutmodtagelse.

Rule 4: PrEP Lives at the Hospital Pharmacy

Unlike the UK or Ireland, there is no community pharmacy route for PrEP in Denmark. You collect it from the Hospitalsapoteket (hospital pharmacy) at your prescribing hospital. This is not negotiable — plan your monitoring appointments accordingly.

General Education

The clinical and educational content lives in the general section:

Bottom line: Go to Checkpoint for testing, vaccination, and referrals — it works everywhere, needs no CPR number, and is run by people who understand gay sexual health. For PrEP, get a referral to your regional Infectious Disease Department — it is free but hospital-only. For PEP in Copenhagen, call 1813 then go to Hvidovre. Outside Copenhagen, go directly to your nearest large hospital A&E.