New York State Department of Health Launches Expedited Partner Treatment (EPT) Campaign

People with Certain Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are Encouraged to Ask Their Health Care Provider for Expedited Partner Treatment (EPT) Options to Treat Their Sexual Partners

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 25, 2024) – The New York State Department of Health recently launched a multi-media educational campaign, one of the first in the nation, aimed at increasing awareness of the availability of Expedited Partner Treatment (EPT) as a strategy in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Expedited Partner Treatment is the clinical practice of treating the sexual partners of people diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections without a health care provider exam.

The Department encourages people to take advantage of EPT as it can lead to faster partner treatment and greater access to sexual healthcare. The practice of providing EPT is especially important as it is one of the few sexual health tools available to reduce the rising numbers of sexually transmitted infections.

"Sometimes when someone has a sexually transmitted infection, they have no symptoms, yet need to be treated so they do not develop symptoms and do not spread the infection to others," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "I encourage anyone diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection to talk to their health care provider about treatment for you and your partner."

In New York State, EPT allows health care providers to give medication or a prescription to patients diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis to deliver to their sexual partner(s), so they can also be treated, without requiring a clinical examination.

Many people experience repeated episodes of sexually transmitted infection soon after treatment, often due to lack of adequate treatment of their sexual partners. In New York State, outside of New York City, data show that people most likely to have repeat chlamydia infection include people aged 13-19, individuals co-infected with HIV, and those having a prior reported sexually transmitted infection.

To prevent reinfection, minimize complications in individuals, and reduce transmission in the community, sexual partners of people with sexually transmitted infections must receive timely and appropriate treatment.

Another important aspect of this campaign is to introduce the community-led practice-based name change adopted in New York State from Expedited Partner Therapy to Expedited Partner Treatment to ensure broad understanding of the practice.

On January 1, 2020, Chapter 298 of the Laws of 2019 went into effect, expanding New York State Public Health Law §2312 to permit expedited treatment for certain sexually transmitted infections recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prior to this change, EPT was allowable in New York State for chlamydia only. The State Department of Health strongly encourages providers to utilize Expedited Partner Treatment as a strategy to treat the sex partners of people diagnosed with these sexually transmitted infections.

People who are also diagnosed with syphilis at the time they are diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis are not permitted to receive EPT for their sexual partners. Sexual partners of persons diagnosed with syphilis should get immediate care and recommended testing and treatment. This exclusion exists for the medical protection of the partner who may be infected with syphilis, as EPT for the other listed sexually transmitted infections would not fully treat syphilis.

EPT is not permitted for any cases involving suspected or confirmed child abuse, sexual abuse/assault, or where the person's safety may be impacted. For more resources, please see the Department's Sexual Violence Prevention Program website.

Health care providers and pharmacists may find additional information about EPT in the Frequently Asked Questions for Providers and Pharmacists document.

As part of the campaign to raise awareness about EPT, the Department has developed new brochures and other materials available at health.ny.gov/ept.