Hazards of expedited partner therapy:
(1) The practice of adding a partner's medication to a patient's prescription could constitute fraud if paid for by insurance.
(2) In several states the practice is illegal.
(3) Giving a prescription drug to a patient without a history or physical examination violates standard medical practice.
(4) The health care provider has established a provider relationship with the partner and could be liable for medical malpractice without ever seeing the patient if a complication occurs.
(5) There is no certainty that the patient will give the medication to the partner and no certainty that the partner will take the entire course of therapy.
(6) The partner could have a complication to the medication prescribed that could have been prevented by a proper history and physical.
(7) The partner could have more infections than assumed from a limited encounter with the patient.
(8) Imprudent use of antibiotics may increase the development and spread of resistant organisms.
(9) The partner may assume that taking the medication is sufficient care and that no followup is required.
(10) There may be no way of knowing if the therapy was effective or not.
(11) There is no chance of educating the partner in safe sex practices to reduce for future exposure.
Just because the CDC seems in favor of the practice does not make it any less stupid.
