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Programs that provide antiretroviral drugs for individuals who have had a high risk episode to stop HIV from replicating and spreading throughout the body. PEP must be started as soon as possible to be effective, and always within three days of a possible exposure. Health care workers are evaluated for PEP if they are exposed to blood or body fluids of a patient who is infected with HIV. PEP can also be used to treat people who may have been exposed to HIV during a single event unrelated to work (e.g., unprotected sex, needle-sharing injection drug use or sexual assault). Treatment may be available at doctor's offices, emergency rooms, urgent care clinics or a local HIV clinic. Health care workers exposed to HIV on the job are generally covered by their workplace health insurance or Workers Compensation. In sexual assault situations, people may qualify for partial or total reimbursement by the Office for Victims of Crime, funded by the US Department of Justice. People in other situations who have no insurance can apply for free antiretroviral medicines through the medication assistance programs run by the manufacturers.

Programs that provide prescription medication that provides way for people at substantial risk for HIV to reduce the likelihood of infection by taking a pill every day in conjunction with other prevention measures. When someone is exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, the medication can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection. When taken consistently, PrEP (an acronym for "pre-exposure prophylaxis") has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by up to 92%; but is much less effective if it is not taken consistently. PrEP is a powerful tool that is meant to be used as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention plan that includes consistent and correct use of condoms, HIV risk reduction counseling, regular HIV testing and screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.

Programs that supply medication that has been prescribed as part of an individual's treatment for an illness or injury or to prevent people at risk for getting an illness from contracting it, generally in situations where the individual is unable to purchase the medication for him or herself.