What is expedited partner therapy (EPT)?
Not medical advice. This guide is written from CDC and public health guidance and hasn’t been reviewed by a clinician yet. Sources checked . For advice about your own health, talk to a doctor or clinic. How we write guides · Health disclaimer
The short answer: expedited partner therapy, or EPT, is when your clinic gives you medicine or a prescription to pass on to a partner, so they can be treated for chlamydia or gonorrhea without seeing a clinician first. It’s legal in most US states. For gay and bi men, the CDC says to decide on it with your clinician, because partners should still get tested for HIV and syphilis.
EPT is sometimes called patient-delivered partner therapy. It exists because getting every partner into a clinic is slow, and while they wait, the infection spreads and often comes straight back to the person who was just treated.
How EPT works
- You test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea and get treated.
- You tell the clinic about partners who might struggle to get to a clinic soon.
- The clinic gives you extra antibiotics or a prescription in your partner’s name, plus written information about the medicine and side effects.
- You pass it on. Your partner takes it, ideally after reading the information and checking any allergies.
The CDC describes EPT as a harm-reduction strategy: it isn’t as good as your partner getting a full checkup, but it’s much better than them going untreated.
What EPT covers
| Infection | Can EPT be used? | What your partner should do |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | Yes, where state law allows | Take the medicine, and get tested when they can |
| Gonorrhea | Yes, where state law allows | Take the medicine, and get tested when they can |
| Trichomoniasis | Maybe, ask the clinic | Get tested |
| Syphilis | No | Get a blood test and treatment at a clinic |
| HIV | No | Get tested, and ask about PEP within 72 hours of a recent exposure |
Is EPT legal where I live?
EPT is legal in the majority of US states, but the rules differ by state and sometimes by infection. The CDC keeps an up-to-date map of EPT’s legal status by state. Your clinic will know the local rules.
What the CDC says for gay and bi men
The CDC’s guidelines say there’s less research on EPT between men than between men and women, and recommend that clinicians and patients decide on it together. The main worry is that a male partner with chlamydia or gonorrhea might also have syphilis or HIV, which EPT doesn’t treat or catch.
So EPT is a useful extra for guys, not a replacement for testing. If you pass on EPT, ask your partner to take it and also get a full test at a clinic, including HIV and syphilis, and throat and rectal swabs.
How to ask for it
Ask when you get your result or at your treatment visit. Something like: “I have a couple of partners who won’t get to a clinic quickly. Can you give me expedited partner therapy for them?” Have a rough number of partners ready. You don’t need to give names.
A message to send with EPT
Hey, I tested positive for chlamydia and the clinic gave me antibiotics for you too, so you don’t have to wait for an appointment. Read the leaflet first, especially if you have allergies. It doesn’t cover HIV or syphilis, so it’s still worth a full test when you can.
Hey, I’ve got gonorrhea, sorry. My clinic can give me treatment for you as well if getting to a clinic is a pain. Want me to grab it? Either way, you should get tested.
More wording for different partners is in how to tell a partner you have an STI.
After treatment
Both of you should hold off on sex until 7 days after you’ve both finished treatment, and until any symptoms are gone. The CDC also suggests retesting about 3 months after treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea, because getting it again is common.
Frequently asked questions
What is expedited partner therapy?
It’s when a clinic gives you medicine or a prescription to pass to a sex partner, so they can be treated for chlamydia or gonorrhea without an exam first.
Is expedited partner therapy legal?
In most US states, yes, though rules vary by state and infection. The CDC keeps a state-by-state list.
Can gay men use expedited partner therapy?
Yes, but the CDC recommends deciding on it with your clinician. Male partners should still get tested, especially for HIV and syphilis, which EPT doesn’t treat.
Does EPT work for syphilis?
No. Partners exposed to syphilis need a blood test and treatment from a clinic.
Does my partner still need to get tested if they take EPT?
It’s a good idea. EPT treats chlamydia or gonorrhea, but a test checks for other infections, including HIV and syphilis.
Sources: CDC STI Treatment Guidelines: Expedited partner therapy, CDC: Legal status of EPT by state.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or clinic about your own situation. Health disclaimer
Not sure when to test? The STI test window calculator works out when each test can pick up an infection after sex.
Keep reading
Can you get HIV or STIs from oral sex?
The HIV risk from oral sex is very low, but gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and other STIs spread easily through the mouth. What the research shows and how to stay on top of it.
How to tell a partner about an STI anonymously
Free ways to let a hookup know they should get tested without giving your name: health department partner services, anonymous text and email tools, and how to make the message believable.
How to tell a partner you have an STI (with text templates)
Copy-and-send texts for telling a hookup, a regular or a boyfriend about chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis, plus how far back to go and what to say if they reply badly.
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