The House initially passed the bill in May on a 90-6 vote and the Senate passed it by unanimous vote in October. On Tuesday, the House voted 83-4 in favor of changes the Senate made to the bill, which now heads to Gov. John Kasich’s desk.
The legislation would allow doctors to prescribe medication to their patients’ partners without first conducting exams. Current state law requires licensed health care providers to first examine patients before prescribing antibiotics. The bill creates an exception for partners of patients who have been diagnosed with chlamydia, trichomoniasis or gonorrhea. The goal is to reduce cases of the infections, which typically occur among people ages 15 to 24.
Ohio’s rate of reported gonorrhea and chlamydia cases has been higher than the national average, with most cases occurring among those ages 15 to 24.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Florida are the only states that prohibit expedited partner therapy. Treatment for sex partners of those who are infected has been the standard course since the 1940s, according to the CDC. And expedited treatment for sex partners has been supported by the CDC since 2006.
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