Legal Status of EPT in District of Columbia
EPT is permissible
I. Statutes/regs on health care providers’ authority to prescribe for STDs to a patient’s partner(s) w/out prior evaluation (Explanation) | A physician, advance practice registered nurse, or a physician’s assistant “who diagnoses a chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis infection in a patient may prescribe and dispense antimicrobial drugs to the patient’s sexual partner for treatment of that STI without an examination of the sexual partner.” D.C Code § 7-2081.02. (effective 4/30/2014) NOTE: CDC does not recommend EPT for trichomoniasis.
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II. Specific judicial decisions concerning EPT (or like practices) (Explanation) | |
III. Specific administrative opinions by the Attorney General or medical or pharmacy boards concerning EPT (or like practices) (Explanation) | District of Columbia Board of Medicine disciplinary order issued 7/31/2003: fined physician $2000 for prescribing without seeing the patient.* |
IV. Laws that incorporate via reference guidelines as acceptable practices (including EPT) (Explanation) | Regulations incorporate by reference the latest edition of APHA’s CCD Manual. Meeting requirements of the CCD manual is prima facie evidence of good medical or public health practice. D.C. Mun. Reg. Subt. 22-B, § 202.8. |
V. Prescription requirements (Explanation) | Pharmacists must keep record of patient name and address for every prescription filled. D.C. Mun. Regs. Subt. 22-B, § 1913 |
VI. Assessment of EPT’s legal status with brief comments (Explanation) | EPT is permissible. The DC Code expressly authorizes EPT for the treatment of chlamydia and gonorrhea. |
*This legal authority predates the effective date of the state’s law that authorizes EPT. Status as of April 30, 2014 |
Legend
supports the use of EPT
negatively affects the use of EPT
EPT is permissible
EPT is potentially allowable
EPT is prohibited
EPT is permissible in 46 states: | EPT is potentially allowable in 4 states: | EPT is prohibited in 0 states: |
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Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming EPT is permissible in the District of Columbia. EPT is permissible in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. |
Alabama Kansas Oklahoma South Dakota EPT is potentially allowable in Puerto Rico and Guam. |
Summary Totals
The information presented here is not legal advice, nor is it a comprehensive analysis of all the legal provisions that could implicate the legality of EPT in a given jurisdiction. The data and assessment are intended to be used as a tool to assist state and local health departments as they determine locally appropriate ways to control STDs.
For comments, feedback and updates, please contact CDC-INFO: https://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/.