Some people face challenges that make it hard to stick to a treatment plan. A few people cannot get an undetectable viral load even though they take HIV medicine as prescribed. If your viral load is not undetectable—or does not stay undetectable—you can still protect your partners by using other prevention options. Encourage Your Partners to Take PrEP PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine people at risk for HIV take to prevent HIV. If taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from sex and injection drug use. Learn more about PrEP. Use Condoms the Right Way Every Time You Have Sex Condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), like gonorrhea and chlamydia. Use water-based or silicone-based lubricants to help prevent condoms from breaking or slipping during sex. Learn the right way to use an external condom [PDF – 509 KB] (sometimes called a male condom) and an internal condom [PDF – 509 KB] (sometimes called a female condom). Choose Sexual Activities with Little to No Risk Choose sex that is less risky than anal or vaginal sex. There is little to no risk of getting HIV through oral sex. You can’t transmit HIV through sexual activities that don’t involve contact with body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, or blood). Get Tested and Treated for Other STDs If you get and keep an undetectable viral load, getting an STD does not appear to increase the risk of transmitting HIV. But STDs can cause other problems. If you have a detectable viral load, getting tested and treated for other STDs can help lower your chances of transmitting HIV. Find a testing site near you. Talk to Your Partner About PEP If You Think They May Have Been Recently Exposed to HIV PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine people take to prevent HIV after a possible exposure (for example, if the condom breaks during sex and you don’t have an undetectable viral load). PEP must be started within 72 hours of a possible exposure. The sooner your partner starts PEP, the better. Every hour counts. Learn more about PEP. Never Share Needles, Syringes, or Other Drug Injection Equipment Use new, clean syringes and injection equipment every time you inject. Many communities have syringe services programs (SSPs) where you can get new needles and syringes and safely dispose of used ones. SSPs can also link you to substance use disorder treatment, testing, and care and treatment for infectious diseases. Some pharmacies sell needles without a prescription.