This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

PrEP is a prescription medicine that lowers the chance of getting HIV. If you are in Columbia, South Carolina, and wondering about PrEP, you have real options close by. Some are free. Many are covered by insurance.

This guide explains how PrEP works, who it is for, what the visits involve, and how to pay for it. It also names the Columbia clinics that list PrEP or related services, based on their published information. Where a clinic does not publish a detail, we say so and suggest you call.

Key takeaways

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is medicine a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of getting HIV.
The CDC says daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed. For people who inject drugs, the CDC says the reduction is at least 74%.
PrEP is offered as daily pills and as injections given by a clinician. A clinician decides which option fits you.
PrEP does not protect against other STIs. Regular STI testing is part of good PrEP care.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends PrEP for people at increased risk. Under the Affordable Care Act, that recommendation generally means insurers must cover it without cost sharing. Check your own plan for details.
In Columbia, CAN Community Health, PALSS and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic list PrEP among their services. The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) also keeps a PrEP provider directory.
If you do not have insurance, ask the clinic about sliding-scale fees and assistance programs before you decide PrEP is out of reach.

What PrEP is and how well it works
Who PrEP is for
Types of PrEP: daily pills, on-demand and injectable
How to get PrEP in Columbia, step by step
Columbia clinics that list PrEP services
What PrEP costs and how to pay for it
Staying on PrEP, other STIs and testing
Common questions
Sources

What PrEP is and how well it works

PrEP means taking HIV medicine before a possible exposure to HIV, so the virus has a harder time taking hold in the body. It is a prevention tool. It is not a treatment for someone who already has HIV, and it is not a vaccine.

How effective is it?

The CDC says daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when it is taken as prescribed. The CDC says the reduction is at least 74% for people who get HIV through injection drug use. The key phrase is "as prescribed." PrEP works best when it is used consistently and the person keeps up with follow-up visits.

What PrEP does not do

PrEP protects against HIV only. It does not prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HPV or other infections. It also does not prevent pregnancy. Condoms and regular STI testing still matter for anyone who wants extra protection from those infections.

PrEP and PEP are different

PEP is post-exposure prophylaxis. It is HIV medicine a clinician may prescribe after a possible exposure, and it has to be started quickly. PrEP is taken in advance. If you think you had an exposure in the last few days, contact a clinic or urgent care right away and ask about PEP. CAN Community Health and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic both list PEP among their services in Columbia.

HIV is treatable

HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. People who have HIV can take medicine prescribed by a clinician and live long, healthy lives. Knowing your status is the first step toward either prevention or treatment.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is for people who do not have HIV and who may be exposed to it. The CDC describes it as an option for people who are sexually active or who inject drugs and who are at increased risk. The USPSTF recommends that clinicians offer PrEP to people at increased risk of HIV.

PrEP is for people of every gender and orientation. Risk depends on situations, not on identity. The CDC describes PrEP as something to discuss with a clinician if any of these apply:

You have a partner who has HIV, especially if their viral load is not suppressed or you do not know it.
You have had anal or vaginal sex in the past six months and have not consistently used condoms.
You have been diagnosed with a bacterial STI in the past six months.
You inject drugs and share needles, syringes or other equipment.
You are not sure of a partner's HIV status and want more protection.

You do not need to fit a label to ask about PrEP. A clinician can talk through your situation with you in private. If you are unsure whether it applies to you, that is a good reason to have the conversation.

PrEP when trying to conceive

Couples where one partner has HIV and the other does not sometimes use PrEP as part of a plan to conceive. A clinician can explain the options and what monitoring is involved. This is a good topic to bring up at your first visit.

Young people

South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. § 63-5-350) says health services may be provided to minors of any age without a parent or guardian's consent when the authorized provider considers them necessary. The statute does not name STDs or HIV, and it says nothing about PrEP specifically. The Guttmacher Institute lists South Carolina as allowing minors to consent to STI services. Whether a particular clinic will prescribe PrEP to a minor is a clinic policy question, so call ahead and ask.

Types of PrEP: daily pills, on-demand and injectable

There is more than one way to take PrEP. A clinician will help you choose based on your health, your lab results and your life. We do not list doses or schedules here, because those are set by the person prescribing.

Daily oral PrEP

This is the most widely used form. It is a pill a clinician prescribes for you to take regularly. It is the form for which the CDC reports the effectiveness figures above. The main thing it asks of you is consistency, plus regular check-ins and lab work.

On-demand PrEP, sometimes called 2-1-1

You may hear about on-demand PrEP, often called "2-1-1." It is a timed approach around sex rather than a daily routine. It has been studied in a limited group, mainly men who have sex with men, and it is not an FDA-approved way to use PrEP. The CDC's main clinical guidance centers on daily oral and injectable options. If on-demand use interests you, ask a clinician whether it could fit your situation. Do not start it on your own, and do not adapt a schedule you read online.

Injectable PrEP

Injectable PrEP is given by a clinician instead of taken as pills. It can suit people who find daily pills hard to keep up with or who prefer fewer touchpoints. The CDC lists long-acting injectable PrEP among the approved options, and newer long-acting products have been approved by the FDA more recently. Availability varies by clinic, and some require special ordering and insurance approval. Ask each clinic whether it offers injections and how the visit schedule works.

How to choose

Questions worth bringing to your clinician:

Which options fit my health history and kidney and bone health?
Which option will I realistically keep up with?
What side effects should I watch for?
What will each option cost with my insurance, or without it?
What happens if I want to stop or switch?

How to get PrEP in Columbia, step by step

If you are asking how to get PrEP, the process is simpler than many people expect. You need a prescription from a clinician, and the clinician needs a few lab results first.

Step 1: Choose a provider

You can start with a primary care clinician, a community health center, an HIV and STI service organization or a sexual health clinic. The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) maintains a PrEP page that lists a South Carolina PrEP Provider Directory, along with PrEP navigation, counseling center and telemedicine resources. That page is a good place to look if you want options beyond the clinics listed below. HHS also runs a national resource, Ready, Set, PrEP, which explains the program for people who qualify.

Step 2: Book a visit

Some Columbia sites accept walk-ins and others require appointments. Details for each are in the next section. When you call, you can simply say you would like to talk about PrEP. You do not need to explain more than you want to.

Step 3: The first visit

At the first visit, a clinician will usually:

Ask about your health history, medicines and any symptoms.
Ask about your sexual health and drug use in a nonjudgmental way, so they can recommend the right option.
Order the baseline lab tests described below.
Explain how the medicine works, possible side effects and what follow-up looks like.

Step 4: Baseline lab tests

The CDC's PrEP guidance calls for several tests before starting. These usually include:

An HIV test. PrEP is only for people who do not have HIV. If a test shows HIV, a clinician will talk with you about treatment instead.
Kidney function. Some PrEP medicines are processed by the kidneys.
Hepatitis B. This matters because some PrEP medicines also affect hepatitis B.
STI screening. Depending on your exposures, this may include tests for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at the relevant body sites.
Hepatitis C testing, for some people.
A pregnancy test, when it applies.

A clinician reads the results. Nothing in this guide can tell you what your results will be.

Step 5: Starting and following up

A clinician decides when to start the medicine and how long to wait before relying on it for protection. Follow that advice closely. The CDC describes regular follow-up visits while you are on PrEP, with repeat HIV testing and other checks. Many clinics ask you to return every few months. At those visits you can refill the prescription, get tested and talk about any problems.

Home HIV testing as a starting point

If you want an HIV test before you see anyone, DPH runs an In-Home HIV Testing Program. It offers a free OraQuick HIV self-test to South Carolina residents age 17 or older, one kit every 90 days. You request it through an online survey. DPH lists [email protected] and 1-800-322-2437 for questions. A self-test is a useful step, but a clinician still needs to confirm your status and order the other baseline tests before prescribing PrEP.

Columbia clinics that list PrEP services

The sites below publish PrEP or related services in their CDC directory listings or on their own pages. Hours and services can change, so call before you go. If you also want a fuller list of places that offer testing, see our guide to STD testing in Columbia, where to get tested and what it costs.

CAN Community Health, Columbia

CAN Community Health is a nonprofit HIV and STI provider at 1911 Hampton St., Columbia, SC 29201. The phone number is (803) 849-8430. Its clinic page lists PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HIV and STI testing, hepatitis C testing, HPV vaccine and on-site treatment. The page lists free rapid and home HIV testing.

Posted hours are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The page also notes extended Thursday hours to 8 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on select dates. Walk-ins are accepted during regular hours, though a CDC directory listing says appointments are required, so confirm by phone. CAN says it accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance, and that sliding-scale fees and grant funding may be available.

PALSS (Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services)

PALSS is a nonprofit HIV and STI program at 2638 Two Notch Rd, Ste 108, Columbia, SC 29204. The phone number is (803) 779-7257. Its CDC listing shows PrEP, doxy-PEP, rapid HIV testing and hepatitis C testing, with free HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and STI tests. The listing says PrEP is available for people who are uninsured. It also says PALSS accepts insurance and Medicaid and offers a sliding scale.

The CDC NPIN listing shows hours of Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with walk-in testing on Tuesday 3 to 8 p.m. and Thursday 3 to 7 p.m., and walk-in only hours on the first and third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A second CDC listing says appointments are required, so confirm by phone before you go.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, Columbia Health Center

This health center is at 2712 Middleburg Dr, Ste 107, Columbia, SC 29204. The phone number is (803) 256-4908. The CDC NPIN listing shows PrEP, PEP, rapid HIV testing, HPV vaccine and treatment, with tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes, rapid HIV and syphilis. Insurance and Medicaid are accepted. The listing says cost depends on eligibility, so ask the center what applies to you.

The listing says an appointment is required, but also says you are welcome to walk in during open hours to book or ask about same-day availability. Listed hours are Monday and Wednesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The listing notes that hours may change.

Richland County Health Department (SC DPH)

The Richland County Health Department is at 2000 Hampton St., Columbia, SC 29204. DPH lists STD, HIV and hepatitis C services at this site. DPH also says it may later move to the former Columbia Place Mall site once Richland County finishes its Family Services Center. DPH does not publish a clinic-specific phone number, hours or fees on the page we reviewed, and that page does not list PrEP there. To make an appointment, call the DPH Care Line at 1-855-472-3432. Ask whether PrEP is available or where they would refer you. The STD/HIV Hotline is 1-800-322-2437.

Other Columbia testing sites

Cooperative Health (Five Points Walk-In Center, Ste A, at 1228 Harden St, and Waverly Family Practice, Ste C, at the same address) lists HIV, hepatitis C and STI testing with a sliding scale. AHF Healthcare Center at 4100 N Main St, Suite 102, lists free HIV testing by appointment. Their CDC listings do not mention PrEP, so ask them directly whether they prescribe it or can refer you.

You can also search by ZIP code for HIV, STI and hepatitis testing at gettested.cdc.gov, the CDC's testing locator.

What PrEP costs and how to pay for it

People often ask about HIV PrEP cost before anything else. The honest answer is that it depends on your insurance, your income and the clinic. No Columbia clinic in the sources we reviewed publishes a single price for PrEP, so we do not list one. What we can explain is how coverage and assistance work.

The costs to think about

The medicine itself, either pills from a pharmacy or injections given at the clinic.
The clinic visits.
The lab tests at the start and at follow-up.

Ask about all three when you call. Costs for each can be handled differently.

Insurance and the ACA

The USPSTF recommends PrEP for people at increased risk of HIV. Under the Affordable Care Act, services with a strong USPSTF recommendation generally must be covered by most private plans without copays or deductibles. HHS has also issued guidance on related visits and lab tests. The exact rules depend on your plan, so call the number on your insurance card and ask what applies to PrEP, the visits and the labs. DPH says most insurance and Medicaid plans cover PrEP.

If you are uninsured or underinsured

Several kinds of help exist:

Sliding-scale fees. CAN Community Health and Cooperative Health list sliding-scale fees, and PALSS lists a sliding scale as well.
Clinic programs for the uninsured. PALSS's listing says PrEP is available for people who are uninsured. Ask what you need to bring.
Manufacturer and nonprofit assistance. The DPH PrEP page points uninsured people to Gilead Advancing Access, Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief, Ready, Set, PrEP from HHS, and Viiv Connect. A clinic navigator can help you apply.
PrEP navigation. DPH lists PrEP navigation among its resources.

DPH's page did not describe a separate South Carolina state PrEP drug assistance program, so the programs above are the main routes it names.

Free testing as a first step

Even if PrEP costs are still unclear, testing is often free or low cost in Columbia. PALSS lists free HIV and STI tests. CAN lists free rapid and home HIV testing. AHF lists a free HIV test. DPH offers a free home HIV self-test to eligible South Carolina residents. A test now does not commit you to anything.

Staying on PrEP, other STIs and testing

Taking it as prescribed

Protection depends on following your clinician's plan. If you miss doses, have trouble getting refills or run into side effects, tell the clinic. They would much rather hear from you than have you stop quietly. Many clinics can switch options or help with refills.

Side effects

Some people have mild side effects such as nausea or headache when starting oral PrEP. These often ease with time. A clinician can explain what to expect for the product you are given and which symptoms to report. Regular kidney checks are part of oral PrEP care for this reason.

STI testing while on PrEP

Because PrEP does not protect against other STIs, the CDC recommends regular STI screening for people who use it. Bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. Herpes and HPV are not curable but are manageable. Testing finds infections that have no symptoms, so a clinician can treat them early. Our Columbia testing guide covers where to go and what to expect.

For some people, the CDC's 2024 guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) is also relevant. It describes a clinician-prescribed option to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs after sex for specific groups. CAN Community Health and PALSS list doxy-PEP among their services. Whether it fits you is a conversation for a clinician.

Reporting and privacy

South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. § 44-29-10) requires physicians to report diseases on the DPH reportable list to the county health department. That is a public health requirement, and it is how health departments track infections and offer partner services. Not every test or visit triggers a report. For questions about what is shared, ask the clinic before your visit. They hear this question often.

If you want to stop PrEP

You can stop at any time, and your reasons are yours. Talk with your clinician about when and how to stop safely, and about getting a final HIV test. If your risk changes later, you can start again.

Common questions

Is PrEP only for gay and bisexual men?

No. The CDC describes PrEP as an option for anyone at increased risk through sex or injection drug use. That includes women, transgender and nonbinary people, and heterosexual couples.

Do I need a test before I start?

Yes. The CDC's guidance calls for an HIV test and other baseline labs before PrEP is prescribed. That is how a clinician makes sure PrEP is the right choice.

Can I get PrEP the same day?

It depends on the clinic and on how quickly labs come back. Some sites list walk-in hours, and some can start the process the same day. Call and ask. None of the sources we reviewed promises same-day prescriptions.

Does PrEP work right away?

Not necessarily. The CDC explains that protection takes time to build and that the time differs by type of exposure and PrEP product. Your clinician will tell you when to rely on it.

Will PrEP affect my hormone therapy or birth control?

Tell the clinician about every medicine and supplement you take, including hormones. They can check for interactions for the specific PrEP medicine they prescribe.

What if I test positive for HIV?

A clinician will talk with you about next steps. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable with medicine, and starting care early helps. Clinics such as CAN Community Health and PALSS list treatment among their services.

I am nervous about asking. What do I say?

You can say, "I would like to talk about PrEP." That is enough. Clinicians at sexual health clinics are used to this conversation.

Next step: get tested

If you are thinking about PrEP, a good first move is an HIV test and STI screening. In Columbia, you can get free or low-cost testing at several sites listed above, or find more at gettested.cdc.gov. You can also call the DPH Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 or the STD/HIV Hotline at 1-800-322-2437 for help finding a clinic.

PrEP in Columbia: How to Get It, What It Costs and Who It Is For