Real-World Data Yields Promise for DoxyPEP

By: Ranier Simons, ADAP Blog Guest Contributor

Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) are serious, highly communicable diseases that, left unchecked, can cause serious harm and even be life-threatening. Some, such as HIV, are incurable. Others can be disfiguring, cause sterility, or even brain damage and congenital abnormalities. (NIH, 2017). Three of the most common curable STIs are syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. In the U.S., over 2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia combined were diagnosed and reported in 2023. (Press, 2024). A recent treatment innovation being adopted in the fight against STIs is doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, commonly referred to as doxyPEP. Clinical trials have shown promising results, and recent data shows the promise of its effectiveness in real-world populations of sexual networks.

Photo Source: Chicago Department of Public Health

DoxyPEP is the administration of 200 mg of doxycycline within 24 hours of unprotected sex. (Lou, 2025). Two previous clinical trials, the DOXY/PEP study in the U.S. and the DOXYVAC study out of France, indicate that DoxyPEP is effective for STI prevention. However, the sample sizes of the studies were small, and it is necessary to investigate the effectiveness of the intervention on larger populations out in the real world. The DOXY/PEP study contained 501 participants, and the DOXYVAC study included 556. (Molina, 2024; Susman, 2022). Two recent studies indicate the high efficacy of more extensive population-level doxyPEP implementation. One study was conducted in San Francisco, and the other studied populations in Northern California.

The study out of San Francisco was a population-level interrupted time series analysis of STI cases of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women before and after the city issued citywide doxyPEP guidelines in 2022. (Sankaran, 2025) During the study period, there were 6694 cases of chlamydia, 9603 cases of gonorrhea, and 2121 cases of early syphilis. The study's objective was to observe the percentage differences between STI-modeled projected infections and observed STI rates after citywide doxyPEP was initiated. By the end of the study period, chlamydia cases had decreased -49.64% and early syphilis cases by -51.39% compared to projected case levels. However, there was an increase in gonorrhea cases compared with projections.

The Northern California study was a retrospective cohort examination of adult Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) members who were given HIV PrEP from November 1, 2022, through December 31, 2023. (Trager, 2025) In the study of 11,551 subjects, 2253 were dispensed doxyPEP. The primary outcome of the study was the examination of quarterly rates of STI positivity. Among those on doxyPEP, quarterly chlamydia positivity decreased from 9.6% before doxyPEP administration to 2.0% after. Gonorrhea positivity decreased from 10.2% to 9.0%. Syphilis positivity lowered from 1.7% to 0.3%. Rates remained stable among those who were not utilizing doxyPEP.

The CDC has officially recommended the use of doxyPEP for STI prevention for MSM and transgender women since June of 2024. (Lou, 2025). Counseling for doxyPEP is especially encouraged for members of this population who have had at least one STI infection in the past year. Notably, doxyPEP has had questionable efficacy related to gonorrhea. In the San Franciso study, there was an increase in gonorrhea cases. The Kaiser Permanente study showed lower rates of gonorrhea positivity in rectal and urethral site infections with an increase in pharyngeal gonorrhea rates. These findings support the hypothesis that pharyngeal tissues could be a reservoir of gonorrheal antibacterial resistance and the possibility of increased risk of gonorrheal antibacterial resistance overall.

These aforementioned studies indicate that doxyPEP is potentially an efficacious modality of STI prevention not just in clinical studies but also out in the real world. However, larger, more targeted studies must be conducted on wide populations to gain a deeper understanding. The San Francisco and Kaiser Permanente studies only show a correlation and not a causal relationship between doxyPEP and lowered STI rates because the studies are observational. Regardless, doxyPEP is making a significant dent in STI transmissions and only time will reveal its true efficacy and possibility of antibiotic resistance risk.

Photo Source: San Francisco City Clinic

[1] NIH. (2017). Why are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) of particular concern for pregnant women? Retrieved from  https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/stds/conditioninfo/concern#:~:text=STIs%20during%20pregnancy%20can%20also%20cause:&text=Miscarriage%20(fetal%20loss%20before%2020,Health%20complications%20in%20the%20mother

[2] Lou, N. (2025, January 6). DoxyPEP Rollout Tied to Dent in STI Epidemic in the Real World. Medpagetoday.com; MedpageToday. Retrieved from https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/stds/113668

[3] Molina, J.-M. (2024). Doxycycline prophylaxis and meningococcal group B vaccine to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections in France (ANRS 174 DOXYVAC): a multicentre, open-label, randomised trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design. Lancet. Infectious Diseases/˜the œLancet. Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1473-3099(24)00236-6

[4] Press, A. (2024, November 13). STI Epidemic Slows as New Syphilis and Gonorrhea Cases Fall in the U.S. Medpagetoday.com; MedpageToday. Retrieved from https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/stds/112879

[5] Sankaran, M., Glidden, D. V., Kohn, R. P., Nguyen, T. Q., Bacon, O., Buchbinder, S. P., Gandhi, M., Havlir, D. V., Liebi, C., Luetkemeyer, A. F., Nguyen, J. Q., Roman, J., Scott, H., Torres, T. S., & Cohen, S. E. (2025). Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis and Sexually Transmitted Infection Trends. JAMA Internal Medicine. Retrieved from  https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.7178

[6] Susman, E. (2022, July 29). Post-Exposure Doxycycline Reduces STIs. Medpagetoday.com; MedpageToday. https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/iac/99983

[7] Traeger, M. W., Leyden, W. A., Volk, J. E., Silverberg, M. J., Horberg, M. A., Davis, T. L., Mayer, K. H., Krakower, D. S., Young, J. G., Jenness, S. M., & Marcus, J. L. (2025). Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis and Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Individuals Using HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis. JAMA Internal Medicine. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.7186

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates. 

HRSA Offers Guidance on Doxy-PEP to Stem the Tide of Rising STIs Among PLWHAs

By: Ranier Simons, ADAP Blog Guest Contributor

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), there were 2.5 million reported cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis in the United States in 2022.[1] The rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) have been increasing globally, which is of particular concern for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). One strategy that is proving highly successful in combatting the spread of STIs is Doxy-PEP (post exposure prophylaxis).

Photo Source: The Washington Post

The presence of HIV in the body can, in some cases, make it harder to treat STIs.[2] Additionally, an STI can increase the HIV viral load in PLWHA who are not on treatment regimens.[3] For those with good antiretroviral adherence, an STI is not likely to change someone from undetectable to detectable. However, the numerous harms STIs inflict on the body make it essential to reduce STIs' impact on PLWHA. The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) recently issued a letter to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) colleagues emphasizing their role in lowering the risk of STIs for PLWHA, as well as awareness of new clinical guidelines on the use of doxy PEP in preventing bacterial STIs.[4]

Doxy-PEP is the administration of 200 mg of doxycycline within 24-72 hours of condomless anal, vaginal, or oral sex and should not exceed a maximum of 200mg in any 24hr period.[5] Studies have shown that Doxy-PEP reduces syphilis and chlamydia infections by more than 70% and gonococcal infections by approximately 50%.[5]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) have been identified as groups disproportionately affected by STIs. Thus, CDC guidelines recommend that medical professionals target MSM and TGW who have had a bacterial STI in the past twelve months to offer education and counseling on the benefits of Doxy-PEP. After counseling and education, if desired, providers should provide prescriptions for Doxy-PEP to be self-administered.[5]

Photo Source: The PrEP Clinic

HRSA’s letter specifically encourages RWHAP recipients to adopt the CDC guidelines and integrate Doxy-PEP into their protocols and clinical programs. The letter also urges state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) to add Doxy-PEP to their drug formularies to facilitate equitable access and coverage for their eligible populations. In case they are unaware, HRSA reminds RWHAP colleagues that purchasing Doxy-PEP is an allowable cost. “RWHAP Parts A, C, and D recipients may contribute RWHAP funds to ADAPs to purchase medications and/or health care coverage and medication cost sharing for ADAP-eligible clients.”[4]

Proper administration of Doxy-PEP requires STI testing every three to six months, as well as evaluation of the appropriateness of continued utilization of doxy PEP.[5] Increasing the number of those utilizing the antibiotic intervention will also increase the instances of contact with care professionals. Increased contact means more opportunities for strengthening linkages to care and exploration of other points of need. One of the main goals of RWHAP is to improve the health outcomes of PLWHA. Adoption of Doxy-PEP practices and protocols would be another tool to add to comprehensive whole-person care along with established practices such as harm-reduction and risk-reduction counseling, facilitating access to PrEP, and regular STI testing.

Photo Source: The PrEP Clinic

Notably, HRSA’s letter highlighted the RWHAP Part F's AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) Program and the RWHAP Part F Special Projects of National Significance Addressing STIs: “Ask. Test. Treat. Repeat.” Initiative.[6,7] Both programs provide training and information on the proper implementation of Doxy-PEP and ways to adopt and normalize routine testing of STIs. This letter from HRSAs HIV/AIDS Bureau is more than just an F.Y.I. It is a tangible outreach of support for RWHAP colleagues. 

Ryan White-funded organizations work tirelessly to stretch federal dollars to improve the health and well-being of the vulnerable populations of PLWHA they serve. Clear guidance on Doxy-PEP and the proliferation of educational resources directly acknowledges that the federal government is an active partner with and sees and embraces the efforts of RWHAP recipients.

[1] CDC. (2024, January 30). CDC’s 2022 STI Surveillance Report underscores that STIs must be a public health priority. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2022/default.htm

[2] U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2024, June 27). Sexually Transmitted Infections. Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/other-related-health-issues/sexually-transmitted-diseases#:~:text=Many%20STIs%20do%20not%20have,if%20you're%20sexually%20active.

[3] Stanford, A. (2023, September). Undetectable viral load and HIV transmission. Retrieved from https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/undetectable-viral-load-and-hiv-transmission

[4] HRSA. (2024, July 31). Letter to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Colleagues. Retrieved from https://ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/ryanwhite/grants/hab-doxy-pep-clinical-guideline-bacterial-sti-prevention.pdf

[5] CDC. (2024, June 6). CDC Clinical Guidelines on the Use of Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention, United States, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/rr/rr7302a1.htm

[6] AIDS Education and Training Center Program. https://aidsetc.org/topic/sexually-transmitted-infections

[7] TargeyHIV.org. (2024). Addressing STIs: Ask. Test. Treat. Repeat. https://targethiv.org/intervention/addressing-stis-ask-test-treat-repeat?utm_source=bpURL

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates.  

CDC Reports Record-Breaking STD Cases

By: Jonathan J. Pena, MSW, Licensed Clinical Social Work Associate (LCSWA)

In life, being at the top has always been a driving force of accomplishments, recognition, and even bragging rights. We see this playout in areas like sports, personal careers, and even friendly rivalries between family and friends. However, rising to the top isn’t always a place that you would want to find yourself in. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been on the rise for six uninterrupted years. 

The Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) released data demonstrating that “more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis” were reported in 2019.[1] In their last report in 2014, 1.4 million cases were reported giving way to a 1.1 million increase in cases to date. Some states have reached the top ten list of states with the highest cases of either chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis. Additionally, the rises in STD’s exposes what communities are being hit hardest.

Photo Source: USA Today

Chlamydia is a curable infection, but it can be spread through vaginal, oral and anal sex with an infected person. States like New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and New Mexico ranked in the top ten with the highest cases of chlamydia. New Hampshire has the lowest total cases of 2019.[2]

Gonorrhea cases were highest in Mississippi, South Carolina, Alaska, Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, South Dakota, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Much like Chlamydia, Gonorrhea is a common STD and spread in the exact same way. However, there are some important factors that set it apart. First, “young people ages 15-24 years” are being infected and like other infections, this can present complications for a pregnant mother as she can pass the infection to their child at birth.[3] This infection is curable but drug-resistant strains have emerged making it harder and harder to treat the infection. Vermont is the state with the lowest cases. 

Like the previous two infections, Syphilis is spread sexually by an infected person with a syphilitic sore or otherwise known as a chancre sore.[4] Also, like the previous infections, syphilis can be spread to a new-born child during birth from an infected mother. According to the CDC, if a mother does not treat her infection, congenital syphilis can lead to “miscarriages, premature births, stillbirths, and deaths of newborns.”[5] States that hit the top ten are New Mexico, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, California, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. 

This data certainly is alarming, but these cases also bring to the surface all too familiar disparities that persevere within minority groups. When compared to non-Hispanic white people, STD rates were 1-2 times higher within Hispanic or Latino populations. American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders face rates 3-5 times greater than non-Hispanic white populations. African Americans face rates 5-8 times higher than non-Hispanic white populations.[6] 

Marcus J. Hopkins, Operations Manager for the Community Education Group (CEG) & Project Manager for the Rural Health Service Providers Network, highlights some key factors in these findings. He states, “"When you look at the list of states where rates of STDs/STIs have skyrocketed, with rare exception, the same group of states saw dramatic increases—Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, & South Carolina. These states share several characteristics: high levels of endemic poverty, significant barriers to accessing basic healthcare services, highly restrictive public health programs and systems, and low levels of health literacy.”  

It isn’t hard to see how this statement from Marcus J. Hopkins rings true. These states have many pockets of rural communities which naturally present challenges in accessing healthcare miles from home. Rural communities also have a shortage of clinicians that are willing to work in these specific areas which further amplifies accessibility to healthcare services. Marcus J. Hopkins also adds, “outside of metro areas, it’s virtually unheard of for providers in rural areas to routinely test their patients for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis. It is unconscionable for our public health infrastructure to serve only those in urban and suburban areas.” 

Photo Source: USA Today

While all groups experience STDs, minority groups continue to experience larger and larger disparities. Urban cities shouldn’t be the only hubs for healthcare accessibility nor the touchstones of greater public health care systems. Prominent public outreach is needed in rural communities that extends to not only access to healthcare services but also fosters programs that educate communities on the various and important aspect of health within a healthcare system. Minority populations also need targeted approaches to community health with clinicians of all kinds that culturally represent those within their communities. Representation matters because community members are more likely to seek services if there is an understanding that their healthcare system has clinicians, and programs, that understand their culture and thus can guide them towards a goal that addresses their specific needs. 

These consecutive rising rates of STD’s don’t need to become an expected yearly occurrence. While more work needs to be done on a macro-level to bridge healthcare disparities, people living with HIV/AIDS can still rise to meet the importance of their personal health. Continue to stay active in your care of not only HIV treatment but also in the value of understanding how all aspects of healthcare strengthen the ability to continue to lead a healthier life.

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates. 

[1] Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (April 2021). Reported STDs in the U.S. reach all-time high for 6th consecutive year. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved online from: https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2019/default.htm. 

[2] Gabriella, M. (2021, June 15). STDs reach all-time high for sixth consecutive year in the US. Is your state in the top 10? USA Today. Retrieved online from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/06/15/std-rates-reach-all-time-high-us-which-states-have-most-cases/7700643002/. 

[3] Gabriella. STDs reach all-time high for sixth consecutive year in the US. Is your state in the top 10?.

[4] Gabriella. STDs reach all-time high for sixth consecutive year in the US. Is your state in the top 10?.

[5] Gabriella. STDs reach all-time high for sixth consecutive year in the US. Is your state in the top 10?.

[6] Gabriella. STDs reach all-time high for sixth consecutive year in the US. Is your state in the top 10?.

STDs and STIs On The Rise Despite Decline In HIV Infections

By: Marcus J. Hopkins, Policy Consultant

"…not that long ago, gonorrhea rates were at historic lows, syphilis was close to elimination, and we were able to point to advances in STD prevention, such as better chlamydia diagnostic tests and more screening, contributing to increases in detection and treatment of chlamydial infections. That progress has since unraveled. The number of reported syphilis cases is climbing after being largely on the decline since 1941, and gonorrhea rates are now increasing. This is especially concerning given that we are slowly running out of treatment options to cure Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Many young women continue to have undiagnosed chlamydial infections, putting them at risk for infertility (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018)."

The above quote is taken directly from the Foreword of the 2017 Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2017 report published annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, and it is a damning condemnation of our nation’s abject failure to adequately educate Americans about sexual health.

Photo Source: on health.com

For those of us who grew up in the 1980s and 90s, the threat of becoming infected with HIV was an existential threat, especially if you happened to be a gay male. Being gay was far less accepted, then, as it is, now, and visibility of the LGBT community was largely relegated to punchline status – the wacky gay best-friend of the adorable straight girl; the butch lesbian or transsexual gym teacher; the fruity, yet sophisticated Elder Gay whose surprisingly vast disposable income afforded him a gigantic Manhattan apartment. And then, there was the “Dying of AIDS Gay” – the character who was supposed to teach us all a very valuable lesson about compassion towards people living with AIDS.

In addition to all of this stereotyping, the 1990s also gave us Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) that included scientifically accurate information about HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), as well as scientifically accurate information about sex and pregnancy. I was lucky enough to receive this education at my public schools in both West Virginia and Tennessee, and I can safely say that it was both accurate, and slightly terrifying. But, my generation (which graduated in 2000) may have been the last to receive this kind of CSE.

CSE programs were, and still are, highly controversial in the U.S. The Republican Party, alongside Conservative Democrats, Christian groups, and a bevy of parents who are flummoxed that people other than themselves have or will have sex before marriage have sought to foist Abstinence-Only-Until Marriage (AOUM) sex “education” programs upon America’s school children. Between 1996 and federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, Congress has funneled over $2.1 billion in taxpayer dollars into AOUM programs (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, 2018). Every time Republicans seize control of legislation chambers, at both the state and federal levels, funding streams are created for AOUM programs, and every time those programs are introduced into U.S. schools, the outcome is the same: a drastic increase in the number of STDs and STIs.

Despite the best efforts of U.S. local, state, and federal governments, HIV education organizations, advocates, and activists, and nearly forty years of living with the specter of the HIV virus, testing rates for HIV outside of urban areas remains “suboptimal,” according to a report published in a recent edition of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (Pitasi et al, 2019). This report analyzed testing data from seven states with a disproportionate incidence of HIV infections in rural areas compared to other states (AL, AR, KY, MS, MO, OK, and SC) and found that <40% of the total U.S. adult population had ever been tested for HIV, and that areas of the country where rates of reported HIV infections were high also had high rates of overall HIV testing (i.e. – more people getting tested for HIV resulted in more reported cases of new HIV infections). The converse was also true: in areas where HIV testing rates were lower reported fewer new HIV infections (Pitasi et al).

In the seven jurisdictions where HIV incidence was disproportionate in rural areas compared to those states’ urban areas, even though “ever testing for HIV” rates was lower, those rural areas were still disproportionately impacted by new HIV infections (Pitasi). This disparity indicates the need for much more rigorous testing campaigns, and perhaps locally tailored testing drives to help increase the number of people being tested.

This testing disparity doesn’t stop at HIV, however; testing for every STD/STI is less common in rural and suburban areas, compared to rural areas:

The most common STD in the U.S. is Chlamydia, with 1,708,569 cases reported in 2017 for a rate of 528.8 cases per 100,000 population – a 6.9% increase from 2016. This increase was demonstrated in all regions of the U.S. and among all racial and Hispanic ethnicity groups. Almost two-thirds of cases were among persons aged 15-24, and among women aged 15-24, the rate of infection 3,635.3 per 100,000 (CDC). The second-most common STD is Gonorrhea, with a total of 555,608 cases in 2017 – an 18.6% increase over 2016. The third-most common is Syphilis, with a total of 30,644 cases of Primary and Secondary Syphilis – a 10.5% increase over 2016 (CDC).

Photo Source: ealth.wyo.gov

These numbers are incredibly alarming, not only because they are increasing so rapidly, but because they represent only those cases reported to the CDC. There are potentially thousands more cases of people infected with these STDs who are unaware of them. This represents, again, an abject failure on the part of U.S. federal, state, and local governments to educate Americans about sexual health and disease transmission. The government, however, is not the only party at fault for failing to staunch the bleeding, as it were; physicians have also failed their patients by refusing to include STD/STI testing as part of a comprehensive battery of annual tests.

Recommendations for STD testing in the U.S. are unsurprisingly lax, focusing primarily upon sexually active women and gay and bisexual Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). Sexually active women should be tested annually for Chlamydia; all MSM should be tested annually for everything. Of course, there’s little mention of straight men getting tested, save for a brief mention about annual HIV testing if you have “unsafe sex.”

(Psst - Guess what: if you’re having “unsafe sex,” you should probably get tested annually for more than just HIV. Just a thought.)

Other nations, however, take a far more intelligent approach: once you become sexually active, you should be tested annually for everything…BY YOUR GENERAL PRACTITIONER.

For whatever reason, American physicians rarely question their patients about their sexual activity, and as such, rarely offer testing as part of a comprehensive battery of tests provided. Add into this the populations who either have no family physician, can’t afford visits to the doctor, or simply don’t go, and you’ve got a gigantic pool of sexually active people who have no idea whether or not they are infected with or infecting others with STDs/STIs.

In 2018, a cluster of Syphilis and HIV infections affected at least 125 people, including high school students, in Milwaukee, WI (Causey & Spicuzza, 2018). Walla Walla County in Washington State is currently experiencing a Gonorrhea outbreak (Yazwinkski, 2019). Alaska’s rate of Chlamydia continues to rise (KTVA, 2019). Rock Island County in Illinois is experiencing a Gonorrhea outbreak (Galvin, 2019). These aren’t isolated incidents; they are part of an overall picture that desperately needs addressing.

Beyond just the risk of failing to test and risking the further spread of common STDs and STIs, there is the growing risk of those STDs/STIs mutating to become treatment resistant. We have already seen this manifest in the form of Gonorrhea becoming increasingly resistant to the antibiotic drugs used to treat it. Now, as we begin to see global rates of new HIV infections decline, we are also seeing drug resistant mutations of the HIV virus, particularly in areas of the world where inconsistent access to supplies of medications over the past twenty-plus years has resulted in patients building up resistances to certain older HIV regimens (specifically efavirenz- and nevirapine-based regimens). This has occurred primarily in countries in Africa, Asia, and South and Central America, where supplies may not always be consistent to provide patients with a constant supply of HIV medications allowing them to be compliant with their regimens (World Health Organization, 2019).

It’s time we start taking STD and STI prevention seriously, again, and the first step in doing so is to do away with AOUM sex education, in its entirely. It doesn’t work; it has never worked; it will never work, because it ignores basic human nature and sexuality. People – yes, including teenagers – are going to have sex, whether or not their parents, their churches, or Republicans like it. It’s time to stop pretending that these programs work, and to stop bowing to pressure from organizations that pretend to care about “family values” and parents who insist that their children shouldn’t be “subjected” to CSE. It is time to do what is best for America’s sexual health, critics bedamned.

References:

• Causey, J.E. & Spicuzza, M. (2018, March 06). HIV, syphilis cluster affecting at least 125 people discovered in Milwaukee. Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved from: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2018/03/06/hiv-syphilis-clusters-affecting-least-125-people-including-high-school-students-discovered-milwaukee/397534002/
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, September). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2017. Atlanta, GA: United States Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats17/2017-STD-Surveillance-Report_CDC-clearance-9.10.18.pdf
• Galvin, G. (2019, April 23). Gonorrhea Outbreak Declared in Illinois County. Washington, DC: U.S. News and World Report: Healthiest Communities. Retrieved from: https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2019-04-23/gonorrhea-outbreak-declared-in-illinois-county
• KTVA. (2019, April 23). Alaska’s chlamydia rates still on the rise amid STD outbreaks. Anchorage, AK: KTVA. Retrieved from: https://www.ktva.com/story/40355743/alaskas-chlamydia-rates-still-on-the-rise-amid-std-outbreaks
• Pitasi, M.A., Delaney, K.P., Brooks, J.T., DiNenno, E.A., Johnson, S.D., & Prejean, J. (2019, June 28). HIV Testing in 50 Local Jurisdictions Accounting for the Majority of New HIV Diagnoses and Seven States with Disproportionate Occurrence of HIV in Rural Areas, 2016–2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68(25), 561-567. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6825a2external icon
• Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. (2018, August). A History of Federal Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs. Washington, DC: Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. Retrieved from: https://siecus.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/A-History-of-AOUM-Funding-Final-Draft.pdf
• World Health Organization. (2019, July). HIV drug resistance report 2019. Geneva, SW: World Health Organization: HIV/AIDS: Publications. Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/325891/WHO-CDS-HIV-19.21-eng.pdf?ua=1
• Yazwinsky, T. (2019, July 31). Walla Walla County experiencing gonorrhea outbreak. Walla Walla, WA: KEPR. Retrieved from: https://keprtv.com/news/local/walla-walla-county-experiencing-gonorrhea-outbreak

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates.