Doxy-PEP
Doxy-PEP
If taken within 72 hours (three days) of exposure, doxy-PEP can reduce the chance of you getting some STIs.
Protection against syphilis and chlamydia
Doxy-PEP is an antibiotic medication taken after sex to reduce the risk of getting sexually transmissible infections (STIs) syphilis and chlamydia.
Doxy-PEP is short for “doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis”.
What is doxy-PEP for?
Doxy-PEP is an antibiotic you take after sex to reduce the risk of getting syphilis and chlamydia. It needs to be taken within 72 hours (three days) of having sex.
Taking doxy-PEP after sex is 70% to 80% effective in preventing syphilis and 70% to 90% effective in preventing chlamydia.
Current research shows that doxy-PEP is effective for cisgender men and for transgender and non-binary people assigned male at birth who have sex with men. At the moment, it’s only prescribed to these groups.
Where can I get doxy-PEP?
You’ll need to talk to a doctor to get doxy-PEP. Contact your usual doctor or medical centre, or a sexual health clinic.
Once you have a prescription, doxy-PEP can be accessed through a pharmacy like any other kind of medication. Some pharmacies will have it in stock, others may need to order it in for you.
How much does doxy-PEP cost?
In Aotearoa New Zealand, doxy-PEP is a publicly funded medication.
This means that if you’re eligible for publicly funded healthcare, and your doctor prescribes you doxy-PEP, you’ll be able to pick up your prescription at a pharmacy and pay the same price as you would for any other prescribed medication. For some people, this will mean paying $5. For others, it might be free.
To find out about accessing doxy-PEP, take a look at the Burnett Foundation website:
Does doxy-PEP protect against other STIs?
No. Although doxy-PEP is effective against syphilis and chlamydia, it does not reduce the risk of other STIs like HIV, and it's unlikely to be effective against gonorrhoea in Aotearoa.
Other ways to protect yourself from other STIs include having safer sex and taking HIV PrEP or HIV-PEP.
Do I need an STI test?
Lots of STIs don’t have symptoms, so people don’t know they have them and don’t get treated quickly. This can lead to serious health problems. Get tested regularly to look after your health – and the health of your whānau, sexual contacts and partners.