In France, PEP is known as TPE (Traitement Post-Exposition). It is a 28-day emergency antiretroviral treatment that must be started within 72 hours of a high-risk exposure (e.g., condom break). The medication is fully covered by the state.
🚨 Where to Go Right Now
Your route depends entirely on the time of day and what is open.
| Time | Where to Go | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday (Daytime) | CeGIDD or Infectious Disease Dept. | Call ahead to a CeGIDD and state it is an emergency. They will prioritize you. |
| Nights / Weekends | Urgences (Hospital ER) | Go to the nearest public hospital emergency room. |
Do not go to a standard neighborhood doctor (médecin de ville) or a pharmacy for TPE. Only hospitals and specialized CeGIDDs have the emergency starter packs on hand.
🗣️ What to Say at Triage
Whether at the Urgences or a CeGIDD, you must use the correct French acronym so the triage nurse understands this is a time-critical sexual health emergency.
- Use the acronym: "J'ai besoin d'un TPE (Traitement Post-Exposition) suite à un risque sexuel." (I need TPE following a sexual risk.)
- State the timeline: "L'exposition a eu lieu il y a [X] heures." (The exposure was [X] hours ago.)
- Explain the risk: Do not downplay it. They will only prescribe TPE if the risk profile justifies it (e.g., receptive anal sex without a condom with a partner of unknown or positive status).
The Starter Pack: The hospital emergency room will usually only give you a 2-to-4 day starter pack of medication. You must then secure a follow-up appointment with a specialist or a CeGIDD on the next working day to get the prescription for the rest of the 28-day course.
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