October 3, 2023 – U.S. health officials want the country's health care providers to contemplate prescribing a typical antibiotic to gay and bisexual men as a morning-after pill to stop common sexually transmitted diseases.
STD rates have recently risen to record levels, and the CDC draft advice suggests the usage of doxycycline “because it has been shown to be beneficial in reducing chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis infections and is a new approach.” to combat STIs in populations at increased risk of those infections.” ”
Doxycycline is a reasonable antibiotic in use for greater than 40 yearsalso against pimples, chlamydia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
A study published in April in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that taking doxycycline reduced the likelihood of developing gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis by two-thirds in men who’ve sex with men.
In medical circles, this sort of drug use is known as post-exposure prophylaxis.
“Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) involves taking a medication to prevent infection after a possible exposure and is a common strategy for preventing HIV and other infections,” the CDC proposal states.
After the study was published in April, the California Department of Public Health announced recommended the preventative treatment for “all non-pregnant individuals” and notes that it may be effectively taken “within 72 hours of condomless oral, anal, or vaginal sex.”
Comments will be made on the CDC's proposal on-line until Nov. 16.