An exciting new advancement in STI prevention is Doxy-PEP and Doxy-PrEP.

Doxy-PEP, or Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a medication that can be taken within 72 hours of exposure to bacterial STIs (notably chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis) that greatly lowers the chances of the getting the infection. It is often compared to ‘the morning after pill’ to help folks understand how it can be used.

Doxy-PEP is an antibiotic that works to fight the STI and prevent it from infecting your body. In fact, it is the exact same ant-biotic that is used when someone gets a tick and things they might have been exposed to lymes disease. While studies have shown that it can be effective in preventing STIs, there are still some questions around its use and it is not yet formally approved in Canada. Your doctor however can get you a prescriptions for off-label doxy-PEP.

Doxy-PrEP (doxycycline pre-exposure prophylaxis) is similar to doxy-PEP except that it is taken on an on-going basis. The idea is that, for anyone who is regularly engaging in activities that put them at a higher risk of contracting a bacterial STI, they could take this medication daily to prevent these infections from ever occurring. While recent ongoing studies are showing that doxy-PrEP does reduce infections, there is concern that its widespread use may lead to the evolution of strains of bacteria resistant to these antibiotics.

You can learn more about where HEAL NS got this information from at: TheVillagePharmacy, CATIE
*disclaimer: we do not necessarily endorse all of the information, content, or language used in these references.