United States – Health officials suggested that some people should consider an antibiotic as the morning-after pill in order to protect themselves from some types of STDs.
New Prevention Tool for STDs
The CDC sealed its approval on mitigation by using doxycycline in the aftermath of unprotected coital engagements in a bid to avert chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis infections, as reported by Associated Press.
Health ministry officials at the CDC described it as the first new prevention tool against STIs in many decades and insisted that inventions are direly lacking. Syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea infection rates increased every year for gay and bisexual men, and according to the recent data of infected cases, chlamydia gonorrhea rates leveled off in 2022.
The new guideline targets gay and bisexual men and transwomen who had an STD in the past year and concisely at higher risk of being infected again. Research shows that doxycycline is effective in that population, but there is not enough information proving that people in other situations should also take it, officials of the agency noted.
Doxy PEP: Postexposure Prophylaxis
People have been given the name doxy PEP for doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis by the officials. CDC pointed out that doctors can prescribe a single dose of 200 milligrams of doxycycline that must be taken within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, as reported by Associated Press.
Draft Guidelines and Public Input
In October, the CDC developed the guidelines, which are still in draft form. The Language proposed here underwent some changes when the public was allowed to give their opinions. Among such changes, it is specified that pills should be accepted no more often than once per day and that the schedule should be discussed with the patients at least once every 3-6 months.