PEP in Washington — post-exposure prophylaxis, 72-hour window
The number
PEP prevents HIV only if started within 72 hours of exposure; every emergency department in Washington carries it on formulary.
Ryan White Part B
Washington State Department of Health, Office of Infectious Disease
State ADAP
Washington Early Intervention Program (Apple Health for HIV)
Income cap 500% FPL
State PrEP-DAP
Washington PrEP Drug Assistance Program (PrEP DAP)
Accessing PEP in Washington — the 72-hour window
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a 28-day course of three HIV medications that prevents HIV after a possible exposure — condomless sex with someone who has or may have HIV, a needle-sharing event, or a needlestick injury. PEP works only if started within 72 hours of exposure and works best when started within the first 2 hours. If you're reading this after a recent possible exposure and you haven't started PEP yet, treat it as an emergency: go to the nearest emergency department tonight.
In Washington, PEP is available from every emergency department and from urgent-care clinics at some community health centers. The standard regimen — tenofovir/emtricitabine plus dolutegravir or raltegravir — is on the formulary of every major retail pharmacy. The first week's worth is often dispensed directly from the ED; a follow-up visit within a few days transitions you to a 28-day prescription. Four weeks later, a repeat HIV test confirms the prevention worked.
Cost: most insurance plans cover PEP with standard copays. If you're uninsured or your exposure was sexual assault, the Gilead Advancing Access patient-assistance program and the Office for Victims of Crime's Crime Victim Compensation Fund cover the full course. Some states run state-level Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) funds that pay PEP costs when exposure follows a reported assault. The state HIV line is 1-360-236-3460 if you need help figuring out the right place to go tonight.
If your PEP course finishes and you think you may be at ongoing risk, ask about starting PrEP the same week. PrEP-to-PEP-to-PrEP sequencing is common and supported — you do not have to wait between the two. Long-time Black residents name Madison Clinic at Harborview Medical Center and Entre Hermanos as the local institutions that show up consistently — both are listed below.
Madison Clinic at Harborview Medical Center. The Madison Clinic at Harborview in Seattle is Washington's largest Ryan White Part C grantee, serving about 2,800 people living with HIV; Madison co-hosts the Fred Hutchinson AIDS Malignancy Consortium and the University of Washington CFAR implementation science core.
Entre Hermanos. Entre Hermanos in Seattle is Washington's Latino-LGBTQ+-led HIV service organization, operating the only Spanish-language-primary rapid-testing program in the Pacific Northwest and the Promotores de Salud peer-navigation network across King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
For Black families in Washington
Black patients are less likely to be offered PEP in the emergency department than white patients with comparable exposures, per published ED-utilization research. If you're in Washington and you show up at an ED within 72 hours of a possible exposure, advocate for yourself: ask specifically for 'HIV post-exposure prophylaxis' and the infectious-diseases consult. The community organizations listed below can also coordinate a same-day PEP dispense at their clinic in most metros.
Named HIV testing + PrEP sites in Washington
Madison Clinic — Harborview Medical Center
Seattle, WA • 1-206-744-5107
Entre Hermanos — Seattle
Seattle, WA • 1-206-322-7700
Lifelong — Seattle
Seattle, WA • 1-206-957-1600
Public Health — Seattle & King County — Capitol Hill STI & HIV Clinic
Seattle, WA • 1-206-744-3590
Where to get help in Washington
- Washington HIV info line: 1-360-236-3460 — staff can find the nearest free testing site, schedule PrEP, or help enroll you in ADAP.
- Washington State Department of Health, Office of Infectious Disease landing page: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/hiv.
- Federally Qualified Health Centers in Washington: every FQHC offers sliding-scale HIV testing and has certified application counselors on staff. See our FQHC directory for the state at /clinics/wa/.
- State health data for Washington: for state-level HIV mortality, maternal health, and life-expectancy context by race, see /health/washington/.
- Washington Medicaid: Medicaid is the largest single payer of HIV care in most states. See /medicaid/washington/ for eligibility + enrollment.
References & primary sources
- Washington State Department of Health, Office of Infectious Disease: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/hiv.
- CDC HIV Surveillance Report 2022: cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html. Source for state-level new diagnoses and race-stratified counts.
- HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau, Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grantee list: ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/grants/part-b.
- NASTAD ADAP Monitoring Project 2024 Annual Report: nastad.org/adap-monitoring-project. Source for ADAP income cap + enrollment + PrEP-DAP data.
- AIDSVu state profile: aidsvu.org/state/washington/.
- CDC PEP guidelines, non-occupational exposure: cdc.gov/hiv/clinicians/prevention/pep.html.
Data refreshed: