CDC recommends common antibiotic as a 'Morning-After' STI prevention

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is preparing to suggest the use of a potent antibiotic for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The CDC recently released preliminary guidelines, advising healthcare professionals to consider prescribing doxycycline as a preventive measure against the spread of these infections.

This approach, known as Doxy-PEP (short for doxycycline post-exposure), suggests taking the antibiotic following a potential exposure to an STI rather than waiting until a disease is diagnosed. If these initial recommendations are accepted, Doxy-PEP would be recommended for individuals other than gay and bisexual men, including men who have sexual relations with men and transgender women, provided they have previously been diagnosed with at least one STI caused by bacteria within the past year. These infections include gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis.