# The Informal, Non-Prescribed Use of Antiretroviral Medications for PrEP Among a National US-Based Sample of Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study explores the informal use of PrEP medications among gay and bisexual men in the US and finds it is linked to higher risk behaviors.

## Contribution

The study identifies factors associated with informal PrEP use and highlights the need to promote formal PrEP prescriptions.

## Key findings

- Informal PrEP users reported higher rates of STIs and risky sexual behaviors.
- Users found it easier to access diverted HIV medications through dating/sex apps.
- Formal PrEP prescriptions were more common among informal users.

## Abstract

This brief report presents findings on informal, non-prescribed PrEP use among an online sample of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (n = 196). Mean age was 33.4. Participants were Hispanic (13.3%), African American (15.8%), white (63.8%), and other race/ethnicity (6.6%). Informal PrEP users (11%) more frequently reported past year sexually transmitted infections (p < 0.001), group sex (p < 0.001), sex in public (p < 0.01), transactional sex (p < 0.001), ever receiving a formal PrEP prescription (p < 0.05), and ease of finding diverted HIV medications on gay dating/sex apps (p < 0.05). Formal PrEP uptake should be encouraged to mitigate potential negative consequences of informal use.