Is pill after pill unprotected the future of safer sex?
For a long time, condoms have been a reality for people who want to have safer sex.
Unless you’re comfortable rolling the dice on possibly a sexually transmitted infection—and let’s face it, some people make that choice—if you want to be sure that a hookup won’t leave you with a nasty infection, a high-quality condom is the best approach.
However, it’s no secret that, given the choice, people tend to prefer sex without condoms. There just hasn’t been a good, reliable way to have unprotected sex without running the risk of an STD—let alone creating a pregnancy.
But in recent years, some aspects of those fears have been addressed in meaningful ways with solutions that don’t contain condoms — at least for men who have sex with men. The gay community’s relationship with HIV transmission changed completely with the arrival on the market of PrEP, short for exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill that radically reduces your chances of contracting HIV.
RELATED: 3 Reasons You Should Get an STD Test (and Where to Get It)
PrEP has changed the landscape of HIV transmission so significantly that HIV transmission is now more likely to occur between heterosexual partners than same-sex partners in Scotland, per 2023 study.
However, as with Tinder following the launch of Grindr, the technological advances that have affected gay men’s love lives may now be on the verge of revolutionizing straights as well.
This is due to the development of the so-called “morning-after pill” to prevent STDs. To better understand how this could affect the future of sex, AskMen talked to some experts, as well as reviewed existing news on the topic. Here’s what we learned:
The development of a “morning after” STD pill.
Currently, there is only one product in the market — DoxyPEP.
“DoxyPEP is a post-exposure prophylaxis for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea,” says Dr. Laura Purdy, MD, chief medical officer at Wisp, which produces the cure. “Similar to the traditional morning-after pill taken to prevent unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex, DoxyPEP can be taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex to stop the spread of certain sexually transmitted infections.”
RELATED: How to diagnose and treat chlamydia
“While doxycycline has been commonly used to treat many types of bacterial infections,” adds Dr. about STD risks’.
RELATED: Safer sex mistakes that lead to sexually transmitted infections
In short, doxycycline is nothing new — what is new is the idea of using it as post-exposure prophylaxis for STDs. What we are seeing is a paradigm shift, first and foremost, rather than a scientific breakthrough.
It’s a shift that’s happening in part because STI transmissions haven’t gone away—quite the opposite. Dr. Purdy notes that the data show that sexually transmitted diseases are “currently on the rise in the US, with syphilis cases at their highest levels in 70 years.”
“This alarming trend is exacerbated by a lack of penicillin (a key drug for the treatment of syphilis),” says Dr. Purdy. “In addition to being able to treat chlamydia and gonorrhea, this new offering is vital to filling the gap in available syphilis treatments given the nationwide shortage of penicillin.”
How the PEP pill could affect your sex life
So what do the short-term and long-term effects of a pill like the one available look like? Of course, no one can predict the future, so it’s hard to say for sure. Avril Clarke sexologist and intimacy coordinator at Erica LustHowever, he sees the availability of PEP options as a positive.
“The development of PEP will lead to more positive benefits in terms of people’s sex lives,” says Clarke. “Barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms, were and still are the only way to protect against the transmission of STIs and HIV during sex.”
RELATED: How to diagnose and treat syphilis
However, he says, the introduction of PEP doesn’t mean it’s time for a sexual free-for-all, where everyone starts having as much condom-free sex as possible with zero consequences.
“Through proper comprehensive sexuality education, it is important to dispel the myth that having an option like PEP will lead to riskier sexual behaviours,” says Clarke. “PEP comes with side effects and long-term processes that, although groundbreaking in the fight against HIV/AIDS, must be taken regularly for 4 weeks.”
“Checking in with a doctor before and after the procedure is crucial,” she adds. “Plus, depending on your location, it’s not always available for free or at low cost, and it often causes harsh side effects like nausea, rash, headaches and fatigue. The financial, emotional and physical distress that can come from having to take PEP should not be ignored.”
Also, despite its potential to reduce STD transmission, however, it’s important to note that, according to Dr. Purdy, “DoxyPEP does not protect against Mpox, HIV, herpes, or other viral infections” or infections based on pests such as crabs.
However, there is still reason to be optimistic about the potential of post-exposure prophylaxis.
“While it remains important to practice safe sex, DoxyPEP has the potential to provide an important preventative solution for those who are sexually active,” says Dr. Purdy. “By introducing a morning-after pill for STDs, Wisp is helping to combat the rise in sexually transmitted infections by providing an accessible and affordable offering nationwide.”
Only time will tell, but PEP may yet represent a major shift in how we approach safe sex.
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