Legal Status of EPT in Oregon

I. Statutes/regs on health care providers’ authority to prescribe for STDs to a patient’s partner(s) w/out prior evaluation

[+] Amendments and new rules within the Board of Pharmacy will permit pharmacists, nurse practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists and other practitioners . . . to prescribe and dispense, within their scope of practice, specified drugs for an unnamed patient when the prescription is identified as “for EPT Therapy”. Or. Admin R. 855-041-4000 and 855-043-0003

[+] Certain health professional regulatory boards can adopt rules that permit practitioners to prescribe or dispense antibiotic drugs to partners of patients without examining the partner for treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Or. Rev. Stat. § 676.350 (effective 2/8/2010)

[-] Prescription drugs dispensed by a physician shall be personally dispensed by the physician. Or. Rev. Stat. § 677.089(1); see also Or. Admin R. 333-076-0145(4). (effective 2/8/2010)

II. Specific judicial decisions concerning EPT (or like practices)

III. Specific administrative opinions by the Attorney General or medical or pharmacy boards concerning EPT (or like practices)

[+] The State Medical Board of Oregon recognizes that EPT is “often the only reasonable way to access and treat the partner(s) and impact the personal and public health risks of continued, or additional, chlamydial and gonorrheal infections. The Board urges practitioners to use all reasonable efforts to assure that appropriate information and advice are made available to the absent, treated third party or parties” Adopted April 2007

IV. Laws that incorporate via reference guidelines as acceptable practices (including EPT)

V. Prescription requirements

[-] Dispensing physicians shall label prescription drugs with the name of the patient. Or. Rev. Stat. § 677.089(3)(a).*

[+] “. . . the pharmacist or pharmacy intern shall state or cause to be stated on the label the following: (d) The name of the patient, unless the drug is prescribed to a partner of a patient as defined in Or. Rev. Stat. § 676.350 in accordance with rules adopted under Or. Rev. Stat. § 676.350 authorizing the practice of expedited partner therapy.” Or. Rev. Stat. § 689.505(5)

VI. Assessment of EPT’s legal status with brief comments

EPT is permissible. Statutory authority allows certain health professional boards to adopt rules that permit EPT.