Expedited Partner Therapy — Treating Your Partner Without a Visit

What is expedited partner therapy?

Expedited partner therapy — EPT — is the practice of treating the sex partners of a person diagnosed with an STI by giving the patient a prescription or medication to deliver to the partner, without the partner first being examined by a clinician 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. The CDC defines it and recommends that providers routinely offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea when a patient's partners are unlikely to seek timely care on their own 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person..

The problem it solves. After someone is treated, their recent partners often remain infected. Some will not, or cannot, get to a clinic quickly — no insurance, no time, embarrassment, or distance. EPT removes the visit as a barrier so the partner gets treated before they pass the infection back.

What 'expedited' means. It is faster than the usual route because it skips the partner's own appointment. The guideline frames it for partners from roughly the previous 60 days 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. It is a public-health tool as much as a personal one: treating both people at once is what actually clears an infection from a couple, rather than passing it back and forth.

Why treat a partner you can't bring in?

Because reinfection is the default without it. Chlamydia is common, frequently silent, and easily passed back and forth: a person can be cured, then catch it again from an untreated partner within weeks — a pattern often called ping-pong reinfection 2Ref 2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).About Chlamydia.That chlamydia is a common, frequently asymptomatic, curable bacterial STI that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility if untreated — the basis for the reinfection ('ping-pong') rationale.. Treating only one half of a couple rarely holds, which is the entire reason partner treatment matters.

Why chlamydia is the classic case. Chlamydia often causes no symptoms, so an untreated partner has no reason to seek care and no idea they are still carrying it. Left untreated, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women 2Ref 2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).About Chlamydia.That chlamydia is a common, frequently asymptomatic, curable bacterial STI that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility if untreated — the basis for the reinfection ('ping-pong') rationale.. The infection keeps circulating precisely because it is invisible.

The scale of it. More than 2.4 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported in the United States in 2023, with chlamydia the most reported of the three 3Ref 3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025).National Overview of STIs in 2023.The 2023 U.S. surveillance figures — more than 2.4 million reported chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases, chlamydia the most reported — establishing the scale of the reinfection problem.. At that volume, reinfection is not a rare edge case — it is a routine failure mode, and EPT was built to prevent it.

An STI is a two-person problem. Treating one person and skipping the partner is the most common way these infections come back.

Which STIs is EPT used for?

Mainly chlamydia and gonorrhea. The CDC recommendation for EPT is specific to those two bacterial infections, which are curable with antibiotics and which spread readily between partners 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.4Ref 4Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (2021).Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.The 2021 STI treatment guidelines as the source of record for the recommended oral regimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea and for retesting about three months after treatment.. Both are also frequently symptom-free, so a partner often has no prompt to seek care on their own — exactly the situation EPT is meant for.

Not a fit for every STI. The clearest evidence and the CDC recommendation are for chlamydia and gonorrhea 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. Other infections — syphilis, HIV — need their own evaluation and follow-up that a passed-along prescription cannot provide. Syphilis in particular requires staging and monitoring, and HIV requires its own testing and care.

Where it sits among the tools. EPT treats an infection that already happened; it is not prevention like condoms or doxy-pep. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are also reportable stis, meaning diagnoses are counted by public-health authorities — one reason partner treatment is treated as a shared responsibility rather than only a private matter.

Is EPT legal where you live?

EPT is legal in the large majority of U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, but the legal status varies by jurisdiction 5Ref 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).The CDC state-by-state legal-status map for EPT, and that EPT is permissible in the large majority of U.S. states plus DC while status varies by jurisdiction.. Some states have historically been more restrictive, and rules change over time, so the honest answer to 'is it legal here?' is to check the current map rather than trust a number that may be out of date.

Where to check. The CDC maintains an authoritative, state-by-state legal-status page for EPT 5Ref 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).The CDC state-by-state legal-status map for EPT, and that EPT is permissible in the large majority of U.S. states plus DC while status varies by jurisdiction.. It is the source clinicians themselves rely on, and it is public. A person can look up their own state on that page; the question of ept legality is answered there, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, and it stays current in a way a memorized figure will not.

Why the law is involved at all. Prescribing for a person a clinician has not examined runs against the usual expectation of a doctor-patient relationship, which is why states had to explicitly permit it. Where EPT is permissible, a clinician can offer it; where it is not, they route partners to care another way. The legality is about the prescriber's authority — not about whether the partner is allowed to take the medicine.

The direction of travel. EPT has become far more widely permitted than it once was, moving from an uncommon exception to a mainstream, guideline-backed practice 5Ref 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).The CDC state-by-state legal-status map for EPT, and that EPT is permissible in the large majority of U.S. states plus DC while status varies by jurisdiction.. That shift is exactly why a memorized answer about your state can be out of date, and why the CDC maintains a living map rather than freezing a single figure 5Ref 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).The CDC state-by-state legal-status map for EPT, and that EPT is permissible in the large majority of U.S. states plus DC while status varies by jurisdiction..

How EPT works in practice

In practice, the clinician either writes a prescription for the partner or dispenses the medication directly to the patient, together with written information for the partner 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. The patient carries it to the partner. The medication is the standard oral regimen for chlamydia or gonorrhea drawn from the treatment guidelines — no injection, no visit required 4Ref 4Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (2021).Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.The 2021 STI treatment guidelines as the source of record for the recommended oral regimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea and for retesting about three months after treatment..

What comes with it. Good EPT includes an information sheet: what the medication is, how it is taken, which allergic reactions to watch for, and a clear recommendation that the partner still see a clinician if they have symptoms, are pregnant, or have any complicating factor 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. That sheet is not a formality — it is how a partner who never saw a provider gets the warnings a visit would have given.

Cost and pharmacy. Because it is a real prescription, it moves through a pharmacy like any other, and the cost varies with insurance and the specific medication. A clinic offering EPT can explain what to expect for a given state and drug, including options if the partner is uninsured.

Some states attach conditions. Even where EPT is legal, a state may set requirements — for example, expecting the prescription to carry the partner's name where it is known, or limiting which infections it covers. A clinician practicing there knows the local rules, which is another reason EPT runs through a provider rather than around one 5Ref 5Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT).The CDC state-by-state legal-status map for EPT, and that EPT is permissible in the large majority of U.S. states plus DC while status varies by jurisdiction..

The awkward part: telling a partner

The hardest part of EPT is often not medical but personal: telling a partner they were exposed to an STI. EPT does not remove that conversation, but it changes what you can offer at the end of it — not just 'you should get checked,' but an actual treatment in hand 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. That shift, from a request to a solution, is a large part of why partners who would never have made an appointment end up treated.

A few things that make it easier. Being direct and non-accusatory tends to land better than a long buildup. STIs pass between people without anyone doing anything wrong, and framing it as shared health rather than blame keeps the focus where it belongs — on getting both people treated. It also helps to say plainly that chlamydia and gonorrhea are common and curable 2Ref 2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).About Chlamydia.That chlamydia is a common, frequently asymptomatic, curable bacterial STI that can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility if untreated — the basis for the reinfection ('ping-pong') rationale..

If a direct conversation is not safe or possible. Some people cannot, or should not, contact a partner themselves. Health departments can sometimes help notify a partner confidentially, and a clinic can explain what is available locally alongside or instead of EPT. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive.

What to pass along with the medicine. However the conversation goes, the partner needs the written information that comes with EPT — what the medication treats, how it is taken, the allergy warnings, and the clear note to see a clinician if they have symptoms or are pregnant 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person..

What EPT does not do

EPT treats a specific infection in a partner; it does not stand in for that partner's full care. It does not test the partner for other STIs, including HIV and syphilis, which a diagnosis of chlamydia or gonorrhea should prompt 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. It does not evaluate symptoms, and it does not safely cover a partner who is pregnant or seriously ill without a visit.

When the partner really should be seen. If the partner has symptoms — discharge, pelvic pain, testicular pain, a sore — or is pregnant, an in-person evaluation is the safer route even where EPT is legal 1Ref 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021).Expedited Partner Therapy.The CDC definition of expedited partner therapy and the recommendation to offer it for chlamydia and gonorrhea (partners from the previous 60 days) when partners are unlikely to seek timely care, unless prohibited by law; and that a partner with symptoms or complicating factors should be evaluated in person.. EPT is designed for the common case: an asymptomatic partner who otherwise would not get treated at all.

Not a substitute for your own follow-up. The person originally diagnosed still needs their own retesting and, where relevant, screening for other infections. Treating the partner protects the couple; it does not close out either person's individual care.

After EPT: retesting and preventing reinfection

Treatment is not the last step. Guidelines advise retesting about three months after treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea, because reinfection — not treatment failure — is the usual reason an infection reappears 4Ref 4Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (2021).Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.The 2021 STI treatment guidelines as the source of record for the recommended oral regimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea and for retesting about three months after treatment.. Retesting catches a partner who was missed or a new exposure that happened afterward.

Screening on a schedule, too. Separately from any single episode, the USPSTF recommends routine screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea in sexually active women 24 and younger, and in older women at increased risk 6Ref 6US Preventive Services Task Force (2021).Chlamydia and Gonorrhea: Screening.The 2021 USPSTF recommendation to screen for chlamydia and gonorrhea in sexually active women 24 and younger and in older women at increased risk.. EPT handles the immediate partner; regular screening handles the exposures no one knew about.

The through-line. The reason EPT exists is that treating one person and skipping the partner is the single most common way these infections persist. Whether through EPT or a partner's own visit, both people getting treated around the same time — and staying off sex until treatment is complete — is what actually ends the cycle.

A note on timing. Waiting until treatment has finished, and until any single-dose regimen has had time to work, before resuming sex is part of what makes treatment hold; going back too soon is a common way a just-cleared infection returns 4Ref 4Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (2021).Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.The 2021 STI treatment guidelines as the source of record for the recommended oral regimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea and for retesting about three months after treatment.. The retest a few months later is the backstop that catches the cases where that did not hold, so it is worth keeping even when everyone feels fine 4Ref 4Workowski KA, Bachmann LH, Chan PA, et al. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) (2021).Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021.The 2021 STI treatment guidelines as the source of record for the recommended oral regimens for chlamydia and gonorrhea and for retesting about three months after treatment..