If you are unable to find local health providers or local suppliers of PrEP, you may be able to access PrEP by purchasing it online and having it delivered straight to your door. When doing this, it is essential that the supplier you choose is legitimate, or you run the risk of being scammed with fake pills that do not work or which may cause you great harm. Furthermore, if you choose to source your PrEP online, it is essential to do so under medical supervision to help monitor for any side effects or complications with the drug.

Here is some information that might be useful should you choose to order PrEP online.

1. Look for a combination pill that contains both tenofovir and emtricitabine – these are the two active ingredients in the drug regimen that has been studies in clinical trials. Truvada is the brand name version of this drug combination, and it is currently patented and sold by Gilead Sciences. Teno-Em and Ricovir-Em are two generic versions of this drug, which are cheaper, and have the same amount of active ingredients as the brand name drug.
2. Check to see if online pharmacies will deliver to your country. Because of legal restrictions, certain online pharmacies may only be able to ship to certain countries -- so check again with the pharmacy before placing your order.
   
   
3. Verify how much you can order at one time. Some countries may have restrictions or limitations as to the amount of medication that can be shipped or imported via mail.
4. Get tested for HIV. If you are already positive and you start taking PrEP, you run the risk of the virus beginning to develop drug resistance. Check out our PrEP MAP site for places to get tested in your country. 
5. Get tested for the Hepatitis-B virus (if you haven't already been vaccinated): If you have Hep B and you start on PrEP, you run the risk of developing drug-resistant Hepatitis-B Virus.
6. Get tested for kidney function. A minimal number of people develop issues with their kidneys when they use PrEP, so have a blood test for creatinine and eGFR. Certain online providers may require documentation from these tests, so be sure to get a copy of the results!
7. Have your script/paperwork ready. Some online pharmacies will require you to submit a doctor's prescription for PrEP while others may request you to provide the laboratory results of your HIV/Hepatitis-B/Kidney/Liver Function tests. Check with your online vendor and make sure you have the paperwork on hand for them.
8. Check back in with your doctor every 3-6 months to get tested for HIV and other STIs (as well as to test for your liver and kidney function). Remember – PrEP may protect against HIV, but it doesn’t protect against other sexually transmitted infections.
9. Plan ahead and be patient as your order might take a while (up to a month) to arrive.

Check out our accessing PrEP online to see if we know of any reputable online pharmacies that will ship to Asia.