More On EPT

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is an evidence-based practice that allows health care providers to treat the sexual partners of patients diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), preventing reinfection of the patient. Through EPT, patients can take prescriptions or medications home to their sexual partner(s) who may be unable or unwilling to visit a health care provider. The STIs most frequently treated with EPT are chlamydia and gonorrhea, which are also the most prevalent reportable STIs.

As of January 2023, 46 states have laws that explicitly authorize EPT, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that EPT is useful to facilitate partner treatment and should be available as an option for patients. Although EPT is an effective method of treatment and prevention of reinfection for both patients diagnosed with an STI and their sexual partners, some health care providers remain hesitant to utilize EPT.  NCSD has created a new toolkit to support STD programs and health care providers in the implementation and expansion of EPT programming. These new resources include information on provider liability exemption laws, 340B compliance guidance, and information on EPT partner packs.

For more information or to share what your state is doing around EPT, please contact NCSD’s Policy Team at policyteam@NCSDDC.org.