Doxy-PEP is a new tool to help with your sexual health
19.09.2023 - 01:13
/ qvoicenews.com
Doxy-PEP is a new sexual health tool available for gay and bisexual men and transgender women by prescription from the doctor. The antibiotic doxycycline can be taken within 72 hours after condomless sex, including oral and anal to prevent an STI. It’s like a morning-after pill but for bacterial STIs. Photo: David M. Mosqueda
This article is part of an on-going health series to offer useful news and tools that will help empower LGBTQ+ readers to make informed choices about their health.
Doxy-PEP is a new sexual health tool available for gay and bisexual men and transgender women by prescription from the doctor.
The antibiotic doxycycline can be taken within 72 hours after condomless sex, including oral and anal to prevent an STI. It’s like a morning-after pill but for bacterial STIs.
Doxy-PEP significantly reduces your chance of acquiring syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Here’s what we know about doxy-pep.
What is doxy-pep?
Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial STIs: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. It is not used to treat HIV and hepatitis. They are viral STIs. Pep just means “post exposure prophylaxis.”
When taking doxy-pep, the chances of contracting chlamydia was reduced between 74 and 88%, and syphilis was reduced between 77 and 87%. The chances of contracting gonorrhea dropped by 56%, the California Department of Public Health said.
Some strains of gonorrhea in the U.S. are resistant to doxycycline, but it is approximately 26%. This is why regular testing, regardless of prevention method, is important, as nothing is 100% effective at prevention.
Doxycycline is not FDA approved for STI PEP and there is no national organizational guidance for its use as STI prevention. However, Centers for