Advocates’ Guide to DoxyPEP

Dear Advocate,  

Earlier this month, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released much-needed clinical guidelines on how and when to prescribe an oral antibiotic, doxycycline, as post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent acquisition of some bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) after sex, so called “DoxyPEP”. 

Doxycycline is relatively inexpensive, easily tolerated, and widely available. It’s a promising tool to prevent bacterial STIs, including chlamydia and syphilis. However, many questions remain, including how DoxyPEP should be implemented equitably, if it is effective among cisgender women, and how it might impact the STI rates in low- and middle-income countries.  

DoxyPEP alone is not a complete solution to the escalating epidemic of STIs. But in a field with few recent innovations and limited investments in new prevention, detection, and treatment tools, DoxyPEP holds important potential. Today’s research, implementation, and policy decisions about DoxyPEP can shape the path for much-needed STI research and development in the future.  

We hope this new guide is helpful in our collective advocacy to ensure promising science is translated into public health impact. 

Best,

AVAC