If you use PrEP, make sure you are NOT taking this with your monthly prescription

A joke tweet has alerted us to the fact that… well, some people are not very clued-up when it comes to pill packaging.

X user @zachwell tweeted, “Just started PrEP. Are you supposed to take the big pill on the first day of the month or the last?”

A photo showed him holding the little plastic cylinder found in bottles of PrEP.

The tweet has had almost 3K likes and prompted hundreds of comments. The thing he is holding in the photo is the container that holds the desiccant. This absorbs moisture and helps maintain the quality of the pills.

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Whether Truvada, Descovy or a generic, it’s a pill you take once a day to help prevent acquiring HIV.

Thankfully, many appreciated the joke and made quips of their own (“It’s a suppository!”, “That’s the free musical shaker included in every bottle”).

However, surprisingly, it seems not everyone knows what it is.

“She’d been eating the desiccant for a year”

One healthcare worker responded, “I’ve had a patient ask me where her ‘super pill’ was in her refill… she’d been eating the desiccant for a year…”

A pharmacy worker concurred. He reported being asked this very question in real life.

As someone who works in pharmacy, this has been a legitimate question.— steven (@steven166769354) December 7, 2023

Others also seemed to have little idea that plastic widget serves a function.

One person said, “OK but real question: I always throw it away when I open one for the first time. Should I keep it in the bottle? Seems like it would be annoying to shake it out every morning.”

Most desiccants contain silica gel or granules. This is reportedly harmless if swallowed. However, desiccant products like this are a choking hazard. They’re also put inside bottles for a reason: to maintain the lifespan and quality of your pills.

In short, it’s better to keep it in there. Even if it’s annoying.

And never try to swallow it.

Related:

Would you use an HIV-preventing enema or rectal PrEP?

Not everyone can access daily PrEP or wants to take a pill every day for the rest of their life.

PrEP is not the driving force behind rising STI rates, says new study

Don’t assume gay men on PrEP are solely the reason behind rising rates of STIs.