How much does HIV PEP cost in Dubai?

Why PEP prices are hard to find in Dubai

Search for a PEP price in Dubai and you will mostly find consultation fees, not the full cost. That is because PEP is not a single product. It is a course of care that runs for about three months:

1. An urgent assessment by a physician.
2. Baseline blood tests.
3. A 28-day course of three HIV medicines.
4. Support during the 28 days, including help with side effects.
5. Follow-up HIV tests, usually at 4 to 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the exposure.

Each part has a cost, and different providers include different parts. Before you compare prices, check what each one actually covers.

Part 1: the medication

PEP medicines are prescription-only in the UAE. Their prices are regulated, and the official UAE price is set by the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), which took over medicine pricing from the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The total depends on which combination your physician chooses, which in turn depends on your health, any other medicines you take and what is known about the other person's HIV treatment.

For a standard 28-day course, the medication typically comes to several thousand dirhams. At Hollis it is billed separately at the official price and itemised on your invoice, typically about AED 4,800 to 5,400. Your physician tells you the exact figure before you start, and the regimen does not change with how many hours have passed since the exposure.

Part 2: the medical care

This is where prices vary most. Things to ask any provider:

• Assessment. Is it a quick consultation or a proper risk assessment by a physician who can prescribe PEP?
• Baseline tests. HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis and kidney function are usually checked before starting. Are they included?
• Where you are seen. A clinic visit, an emergency department, or a visit to your home or hotel?
• The 28 days. Is anyone checking in on you, or are you on your own once you have the prescription?
• Follow-up tests. Are the 4 to 6 week and 12 week tests included, with both an antigen/antibody test and an HIV RNA test, and do you have to go to a lab for them?

What Hollis charges

We publish our prices because nobody should have to negotiate fees at 2 a.m.

The first call is free, and you confirm the fee before the physician leaves.

Why a home visit costs more than a hospital

Being honest about this matters. If you go to a hospital emergency department or a clinic, you will usually pay less in total than for a physician coming to you at night. What the higher fee pays for is time and privacy: a physician on duty around the clock, no waiting room, a visit to your hotel room or home, and one physician managing your whole course and follow-up. For some people that is worth it. For others, a hospital is the right choice, and it is far better to start PEP there than not at all.

Does insurance pay for PEP in Dubai?

Often not. The Dubai Health Authority's Essential Benefits Plan, the basic mandatory plan many workers in Dubai are on, lists HIV and its complications as an exclusion. Enhanced plans vary. If you claim, your insurer will also see the service and diagnosis on the claim. Many people choose to pay directly for that reason. At Hollis, no insurance claim is made unless you ask.

Can I reduce the cost?

• Go early. The price does not rise with time, but PEP works better the sooner it starts, and a late start may mean more testing and worry later.
• Bring existing results. If you already have recent HIV or hepatitis results, share them; some baseline tests may not need repeating.
• Ask about the regimen. Your physician can explain the cost of each suitable option.
• Do not skip follow-up tests to save money. They are how you find out that PEP worked.

What about PrEP?

If you are likely to be at risk again, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is usually cheaper over time than repeated courses of PEP. See PEP vs PrEP in the UAE.