99% protection vs HIV: What is Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP and where can you get it?
Based on the latest data from the Department of Health, there are 148,831 recorded cases of HIV in the Philippines.
As the country faces a surge in HIV cases, DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa has urged the public to use condoms, lubricants, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
In a previous interview with GMA News Online, Dr. Deano Reyes, an LGBTQ+ health doctor and the medical director of Hara Clinic, a holistic gender and sexual health clinic, said PrEP is among the most effective ways to stay protected against HIV.
'There is this medication called PrEP where you take one pill every day, and if you take it properly, it has a 99% protection against HIV,' Reyes explained.
In PrEP, patients regularly take one pill every day. There is also an event-driven PrEP, where patients take two pills of PrEP between two and 24 hours before they anticipate having sex.
But it's important to remember that while PrEP offers 99% protection against HIV, PrEP only protects against HIV. It doesn't offer protection from other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea.
(Condoms are only 95% effective at protecting against HIV and other STIs)
In the Philippines, the primary PrEP medicine is a combination of two antiviral drugs: Emtricitabine (FTC) and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF).
According to LoveYourself Inc., a non-government organization in the Philippines that offers free HIV testing, counseling, and treatment, PrEP works by blocking HIV enzymes, thereby preventing the virus from establishing an infection.
In the country, PrEP is commonly known by its brand name Truvada, and is taken before potential exposure to HIV.
The recommended dosage typically ranges from 100mg of Emtricitabine and 150mg of Tenofovir to 200mg of Emtricitabine and 300mg of Tenofovir, depending on the patient's age and body weight.
Where to get PrEP?
PrEP is available in some medical facilities in the Philippines. Here is where you can avail it:
Love Yourself Inc.: Love Yourself offers free PrEP. To avail of PrEP, simply sign up using the forms available on their social media account. Facebook.
My Hub Cares: My Hub Cares is another medical institution that also offers free PrEP. You can avail of their medicine by going to their clinics in Pasay, Ortigas and Alabang or you can have it delivered to your home. Website.
Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP) - SHIP is a non-government organization that also offers free PrEP through their Sail Clinics located in Makati and Cavite. Facebook.
Private health care facilities - PrEP is also offered in private health clinics in the Philippines, such as Hara Clinic, Medi Prime Clinic and Pulse Clinic Manila, among others.
Get tested, stay protected. — LA, GMA Integrated News
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'I have seen swathes. From giant penises, to average, to small penises. Filipinos are very, very diverse in their sizes. So relax lang, okay?' ('Just relax, okay?') This is the advice a sexual health doctor, or andrologist, has for Filipino men who are concerned about the size of their manhood. According to Dr. Deano Reyes, the medical director of pioneering holistic gender and sexual health clinic Hara Clinic, the average length of an erect Filipino penis is 4.27 inches or about 10.85 centimeters. He should know: Reyes estimates he sees about 20 penises a day in his practice. He adds the average Filipino size is below the global average of five to 5.5 inches or about 13 to 14 centimeters. It may be a blow to Filipino pride, but that's OK because "the average vaginal canal length is also only about seven to ten centimeters, or mga three to four inches lang din siya. So even a 4.27-inch Filipino, you're gonna do the job fine." He adds "the female G-spot is around two centimeters from the opening. Even the prostate if it's [anal sex], the male anal sex G-spot," reassuring men that size is really more about aesthetics. When bigger doesn't necessarily mean better Despite the supposed desirability of bigger penises, Reyes has seen well-endowed patients who have issues related to their size. They may have performance anxiety and feel pressured to perform like a 'sex god.' But being big doesn't necessarily equate to being better in bed. Reyes observes that erectile dysfunction occurs more among men with bigger penises. That's because they need more blood to sustain the full length of their erections. They aren't stiff enough to engage in penetration. On the physical side, there are rare instances where penile fractures occur among men with larger packages. 'Lalo na 'yung mga large penises that are a bit bent or may baliko, kung mali 'yung upo ng partner nila… the sudden trauma… can really rupture the tunica albuginea—meaning 'yung parang muscular part nung the penis, leading to a penile fracture,' Reyes says. ('Especially for large penises that are a bit bent or crooked, if their partner sits on it wrong, the sudden trauma can really rupture the tunica albuginea—meaning the muscular part of the penis, leading to a penile fracture.' The doctor assures patients that this isn't a big deal. They'll be out of commission for a while, but no surgery or splinting is needed. They just have to give their penises a rest and they will heal by themselves. Anti-inflammatories and pain management are also prescribed. 'With great power comes great responsibility' Meanwhile, men bestowed with bigger instruments should know they can cause discomfort or pain, especially when used without care. Women having vaginal sex can experience tearing, while those on the receiving side of anal sex ('bottoms') can suffer from 'fissures, tears, and lacerations.' (Besides, there are heterosexual couples who engage in anal sex, too.) Larger girths can also trigger the partners' gag reflex ('naduduwal'). 'With great power comes great responsibility,' Reyes emphasizes. So his advice? Slow down. 'You're wielding a bigger weapon so you don't want to ram it in. You've got to give your partner's body the time to adjust. Whether it's vaginal or anal, foreplay is not optional for you. It is mandatory,' he says. Second, 'stock up on lube like it's a pandemic essential,' says Reyes. Bigger penises create more friction during penetration, and too much friction can cause pain. Lubricants can help make the slide more slippery. Note that the vagina has its own lubricating mechanism (assuming that the woman is aroused), while the anus does not. This means lubricant is a must-have for anal sex. 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