Legal Status of EPT in Ohio

Certain health care providers are authorized to prescribe or furnish treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis “without having examined the individual for whom the drug is intended” if they are the sexual partner of the provider’s patient who was diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis, and other conditions are also met.  Ohio Rev Code Ann. § 4731.93 (physicians), Ohio Rev Code Ann. § 4723.4810 (nurses), Ohio Rev Code Ann. § 4730.432 (physician assistants).

Physician failed to use reasonable care when she prescribed excessive and extra doses of antibiotic to patient who insisted on giving extra dosage to husband. Reed v. State Med. Bd. Ohio, 833 N.E.2d 814 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Physician misconduct for failing to evaluate new patients before prescription given, instead delegating to physician assistant. Royder v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 789 N.E.2d 1119 (Ohio 2003).

Prescription label does not have to bear the name of the individual for whom the drug is intended if the prescription contains the words “expedited partner therapy” or the letters “EPT.” Ohio Rev Code Ann. § 4729.282.

An order purporting to be a prescription issued not in the usual course of bona fide treatment of a patient is not a prescription and the person knowingly dispensing such a purported prescription, as well as the person issuing it, shall be subject to the penalties of law. Ohio Admin. Code § 4729-5-30(A).

EPT is permissible.

Statutory authority expressly authorizes certain providers to provide EPT for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.