Expedited partner therapy - meaning and definition
AlsoEPTpatient-delivered partner therapyPDPTtreating your partner
Not yet reviewed by a clinician. This health entry was written from the public-health sources listed below and is general information only. It is not medical advice.
Definition
Expedited partner therapy is the practice of giving a person diagnosed with an STI a prescription or medicine to pass on to their partner, without the partner seeing a clinician first.
At a glance
- EPT means giving a diagnosed person medicine or a prescription to pass on to their partner.
- The partner does not need to see a clinician first.
- It is used mainly for chlamydia and sometimes gonorrhoea.
- It is legal and recommended in many US states, while other countries use different approaches.
- Partners are still encouraged to get a full STI check.
In detail
EPT is used mainly for chlamydia and sometimes gonorrhoea, to make sure partners are treated quickly and to prevent reinfection. It is legal and recommended in many US states, while other countries use different approaches.
Partners who receive EPT are still encouraged to get a full STI check, because the medicine only treats the specific infection.
In a sentence
- The clinic gave her expedited partner therapy to pass on to her boyfriend.
- The article compared expedited partner therapy in the US with partner notification in the UK.
Common questions
Is expedited partner therapy available everywhere?
No. It is legal and recommended in many US states, while other countries use different approaches, such as partner notification through clinics. A local clinic can explain what is available.
Does EPT replace an STI test for the partner?
No. The medicine only treats the specific infection, so partners are still encouraged to get a full STI check.