Did you know that if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, you may be able to get extra medicine for your partner(s)? Under California law and through a practice called expedited partner therapy (EPT for short) or patient-delivered partner therapy (PDPT for short), your doctor can give you extra packages of medicine or an extra prescription for your partner(s) if they are unlikely or unable to go see a doctor themselves.
What do I do if I test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea?
You should first encourage your partner(s) to visit a clinic to get tested and treated themselves. If you think your partner is going to be unlikely or unable to go to a clinic, ask your health care provider about EPT. Your health care provider can help you determine if EPT would be a good option to get your partner(s) treated.
How do I get EPT?
Some (not all!) clinics in California offer EPT medication on site— which means patients that come into their clinic and who test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea have the opportunity to take home medicine for their partners after they receive their own medicine.
If your local clinic does not offer medication at the clinic, they still may be able to provide you with an extra prescription for medicine to treat chlamydia or gonorrhea infections that may be experienced by your partner(s). The prescription can be filled at your local pharmacy.
EPT is often covered by California programs like Medi-Cal and FamilyPACT, so it may be low-cost or free!
Be an advocate for EPT!
If you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea and your provider does not offer you EPT, you can be an advocate and request that they consider offering it. Encourage your provider to check out this website and the California Department of Public Health’s guidelines. Tell them that getting your partners cured is just as important as getting cured yourself since you can easily get chlamydia or gonorrhea again if your partners do not receive treatment. Plus EPT is super safe and really good at making sure you don’t get the same STI again!
Remember:
- Most people who get chlamydia and gonorrhea don’t have any signs or symptoms, so getting tested is super important! Learn more about these STIs.
- If you test positive for either chlamydia or gonorrhea, you need to take all of the medicine that the nurse or doctor provides you for it to work.
- Do not share your medicine with your partners.
- Many people who get chlamydia or gonorrhea get it again, so it’s important to get tested again 3 months after you were first infected.
- Find a clinic near you to get tested!
- Get free condoms!