Updated HIV Post‑Exposure Guidance for Healthcare Providers

Infection control consultant Katherine West breaks down the latest HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) guidelines published in mid-2025. Highlighting key changes since the 2013 update, she explains the shift toward less toxic antiretroviral regimens, elimination of routine baseline lab testing for PEP, and new protocols for exposures involving patients with undetectable viral loads. West emphasizes the importance of expert follow-up care, clarifies who is responsible for source patient testing, and underscores the low risk of occupational HIV transmission. She also discusses challenges faced by emergency providers managing exposures outside regular occupational health hours and the role of 24/7 consultation services. The segment covers legal nuances, especially OSHA and state laws regarding HIV testing consent, and reiterates the CDC’s push for routine HIV screening to aid in the national goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.