Alabama Department of Public Health
Alabama Emergency Response Technology (ALERT)
Health Alert Network (HAN)
February 20, 2024
Legal Status of EPT in Alabama: EPT is Permissible.

Message:

Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) is now permissible in Alabama for all licensed private and public healthcare providers.

Facts:

Rule 540-X-9-.11- Contact with Patients Before Prescribing

(2) Prescribing medications for a patient whom the physician has not personally examined may be suitable under certain circumstances. These circumstances may include, but not be limited to, electronic encounters such as those in telemedicine; admission orders for a patient newly admitted to a health care facility, prescribing for a patient of another physician for whom the prescribing physician is taking call, continuing medication on a short-term basis for a new patient prior to the patient's first appointment, or prescribing for the sexual partner(s) of a patient in accordance with an Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) and/or Patient Delivered Partner Therapy

ADPH Recommendations:

• EPT is recommended for sex partners of men and women, including pregnant women with laboratory diagnosis of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomoniasis.
• To ensure compliance, providers should use only single dose regimens for EPT. Azithromycin 1 gm PO in a single dose for chlamydia, Cefixime 800 mg PO in a single dose for gonorrhea, and Metronidazole 2 g or Tinidazole 2 g PO in a single dose for trichomoniasis.
• EPT should not be offered to sex partners of a patient diagnosed with syphilis or who are co-infected with HIV.
• Patients less than 12 years old should not be offered EPT as there may be potential sexual abuse cases requiring investigation.
• EPT should not be offered to patient who indicates that he/she cannot personally deliver the prescription, or medication to the partner.
• Partners of patients treated presumptively with no positive laboratory results should not be offered EPT.
• Healthcare providers should continue to follow the CDC 2021 Treatment Guidelines for appropriate single dose management of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Trichomoniasis. 

Patient Partner Referral:

ADPH offers free testing and treatment of sex partners to prevent reinfection, especially, of the pregnant woman.

Contact ADPH for questions and additional information at Telephone: 334-206-5350 Email: stdinfo@adph.state.al.us

ADPH operates free, confidential STD clinics statewide. To find the closest clinic near you, contact your nearest county health department. Visit https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/about/locations.html