While doctors in major Paris hospitals often speak English, receptionists, neighborhood pharmacists, and booking apps do not. Knowing the exact French terminology is essential to avoid being turned away at the desk.
🏥 The System & Facilities
| French Term | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CeGIDD | Free Sexual Health Clinic | Centre Gratuit d'Information, de Dépistage et de Diagnostic. |
| Urgences | Emergency Room | Where you go for emergency PEP. |
| Laboratoire d'Analyses | Private Lab | Where you go to get blood drawn if you use the GP route. |
| Médecin Traitant / Généraliste | General Practitioner | Can prescribe PrEP. |
| Ordonnance | Prescription | You need this to get labs done or pick up meds. |
| Carte Vitale | State Health Card | Essential for getting care reimbursed. |
| Mutuelle | Top-up Insurance | Private insurance that covers what the state doesn't. |
| Tiers Payant | Third-Party Payment | When the pharmacy bills the state/insurance directly so you pay €0 out of pocket. |
🦠 Medical Terms
Do not use English slang when asking for a test. Use the clinical French term so the doctor knows exactly which swab to order.
| French Term | Translation |
|---|---|
| Chlamydia / Chlamydiose | Chlamydia |
| Gonorrhée / Chaude-pisse | Gonorrhea |
| Syphilis | Syphilis |
| Dépistage VIH | HIV test |
| Prise de sang | Blood test |
| Analyse d'urine | Urine test |
| Prélèvement pharyngé | Throat swab (essential to ask for explicitly) |
| Prélèvement rectal | Rectal swab (essential to ask for explicitly) |
| Indétectable | Undetectable (U=U) |
💊 Medication & Prevention
| French Term | Translation |
|---|---|
| TPE (Traitement Post-Exposition) | PEP (Emergency HIV prevention within 72 hours). |
| PrEP (Prophylaxie Pré-Exposition) | PrEP (Daily/On-demand HIV prevention). |
| Slam | Injecting drugs for chemsex. |
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