Swabbing & STIs
Canadian guidelines for proper PrEP care recommend throat and rectal swabs. We'll help you get the right tests in all the right places.
Swabbing & STIs
Canadian guidelines for proper PrEP care recommend throat and rectal swabs. We'll help you get the right tests in all the right places.
Why is urine testing not enough?
Gonorrhea and chlamydia are two common sexually transmitted infections.
These bacteria can be found in the penis, vagina, throat, and rectum.
A urine test only checks one specific part of your body and doesn’t tell you if the bacteria is in your throat or rectum. Also, blood testing in the province doesn’t check for gonorrhea or chlamydia.
Do we always provide swabs?
Since opening Ontario’s first online PrEP service in 2019 we have always included swabs in routine labs. We also offer these at our in-person clinics.
Ontario labs don’t carry swabs but accept self-collected samples. We’re the only online & in-person service that provides them automatically every 3 months to you.
Can I have an STI and not know?
A person can test negative in their urine but still have gonorrhea or chlamydia in their throat – or in their rectum.
Sometimes people don’t even have symptoms in those parts of the body so they can pass it on to other people without realizing. The only way to know for sure is to get a throat and rectal swab.
Over 80% of patients who show these infections in their swabs, it does not appear in their urine test result and would be missed.
Unfortunately, clinics that don’t routinely swab lead to missed diagnoses and false confidence of your STI status. This all increases the spread.
Who should get swabbed?
If you are performing oral sex or bottoming during anal sex, you should be completing throat and/or rectal swabs.
Heteronormative care providers or those less experienced in sexual health may not offer these.
As the only online and in-person PrEP service in Ontario that is LGBTQ+ owned and operated we make sure you get all the right tests in all the right places.
We Save you the most on PrEP In Ontario
With PrEPSaver, our patient support program, over 90% of patients pay $0 for their PrEP medication. For the remaining 10% of people, they save significantly more with us too.
If you are not paying $0 for PrEP check below to see how we help.
Unique to The PrEP Clinic
Free HPV Vaccinations
Our clinic patients pay $0 with no age restrictions. Available in-person.
Free Doxy-PEP
Reduce the risk of chlamydia and syphilis. All patients pay $0 with us.
PrEP Injection Station
Now offering injectable PrEP at all of our in-person locations!
Don't forget about the lube.
We got you covered.
FREE bottle of F*ck Water every 3 months!
PrEP With Us
Most pay $0 With PrEPSaver
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