CDC Recommends Doxycycline PEP for Gay Men, Transgender Women
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, June 5, 2024 -- In clinical guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published June 4 in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, recommendations are presented for the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW).
Laura H. Bachmann, M.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues note that MSM and TGW who have had a bacterial STI (specifically syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea) diagnosed in the past 12 months are recommended to receive counseling for use of doxy PEP for preventing these infections. Providers should offer persons in this group a prescription for doxy PEP to be self-administered within 72 hours after having oral, vaginal, or anal sex following shared decision-making. The recommended dose is 200 mg, which should not be exceeded within 24 hours.
When offered, doxy PEP should be implemented in the context of a comprehensive sexual health approach, including counseling for risk reduction, screening and treatment of STIs, recommended vaccination, and linkage to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, HIV care, or other services as appropriate. Individuals who are prescribed doxy PEP should undergo bacterial STI testing at baseline and every three to six months thereafter. Ongoing need for doxy PEP should also be assessed every three to six months. HIV-negative MSM and TGW should undergo HIV screening.
"The available evidence in the context of increased national incidence of syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea supports consideration of this approach for MSM and TGW at substantial risk for acquiring bacterial STIs," the authors write. "These guidelines will be updated as additional data become available."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2024
Read this next
USPSTF Continues to Recommend Syphilis Screening Early in Pregnancy
TUESDAY, May 13, 2025 -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for syphilis during pregnancy. This recommendation forms the basis of a final...
Prior Military Sexual Trauma Linked to Late-Life Suicide Attempt
THURSDAY, May 1, 2025 -- Prior military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with late-life suicide attempt and death by suicide or overdose, according to a study published online...
Antibiotic Noninferior to Ceftriaxone + Azithromycin for Gonorrhea
MONDAY, April 21, 2025 -- For uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea, gepotidacin, which inhibits bacterial DNA replication, is noninferior to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin, according...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.