Checkpoint Zürich

Checkpoint Zürich is a health centre serving men who have sex with men, trans people and other queer people. Heterosexual people who identify with its approach and services are also welcome. Its work brings together medical care, prevention, psychological support and psychosocial services. Counselling, testing and treatment form part of its work on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.[1]

The PrEP service covers initial consultations and ongoing routine monitoring. The starting process described by the centre includes a medical consultation, HIV and STI tests, and additional blood tests. PrEP is an HIV prevention option; it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections.[11]

The homepage advertises a November-only testing campaign: free HIV and syphilis tests, with chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing advertised at CHF 60. This offer is restricted to men and trans people who have sex with men. Only a few appointments remain; the centre recommends booking to avoid waiting.[1]

Separate testing evenings exclusively for trans people are announced for 10 November and 8 December 2026, from 6 pm to 9 pm. Both an HIV test alone and the STI testing programme offered that evening are free. No registration is required.[8]

Self-paying clients settle the bill at the centre after testing or treatment. The centre describes lower laboratory charges under this arrangement and no further invoices afterwards. However, services paid for this way cannot be submitted to health insurance, including retrospectively. The payment route therefore affects whether the expense can later be submitted to an insurer.[5]

The general pricing page lists services that can be billed to insurance, including PrEP initiation, PrEP follow-up and doctors’ services; it expressly excludes STI tests. Insurance billing produces separate invoices for the centre’s services and laboratory work. According to the centre, charges are higher under this route because official Swiss laboratory analysis and Tarmed tariffs apply.[5]

The PrEP page describes basic-insurance coverage for eligible people since July 2024. The evaluation period runs from 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2026, with permanent coverage to be decided afterwards. Eligibility restrictions can be clarified at the initial consultation. Coverage does not make PrEP free: the general healthcare cost-sharing scheme also applies to PrEP, with premiums, an annual deductible and then a 10% co-payment on healthcare costs, capped at CHF 700 per year. Receiving PrEP without insurance billing remains possible at the centre.[11]

For routine visits, the centre recommends an appointment to avoid waiting. Its online booking tool starts with questions intended to identify the appropriate appointment type. Existing appointments can be changed or cancelled without charge up to 24 hours beforehand.[1][12]

The number listed for an initial PrEP consultation is +41 44 455 59 10. Existing PrEP clients can contact the centre for a follow-up appointment. The website also provides a PrEP appointment booking option.[11]

HIV emergencies are accepted without an appointment. The centre lists these risk situations: anal or vaginal sex without a condom or PrEP with someone of unknown HIV status; a broken condom with such a person; or anal or vaginal sex with an HIV-positive person not receiving effective treatment. It urges immediate assessment: according to the centre, PEP effectiveness starts declining as early as 6 hours after exposure, and PEP no longer works after 48 hours. PEP is available during opening hours; if Checkpoint has closed, it directs people immediately to the nearest PEP emergency centre, without waiting for reopening. PrEP medication alone is not a complete PEP because it lacks an essential active ingredient.[1][7]

The address is Limmatstrasse 25, 8005 Zürich. Published regular opening hours are Monday noon–8 pm, Tuesday 9 am–5 pm, Wednesday 2–8 pm, Thursday noon–8 pm, Friday 9 am–5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 2–6 pm.[1]

The SwissPrEPared directory lists mail@cpzh.ch and +41 44 455 59 10 as contact details. Checkpoint’s website also accepts callback requests outside business hours.[2][1]