What are the key updates in the 2026 ACS colorectal cancer screening guideline?

 COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING UPDATE | CLINICAL PRACTICE SERIES

June 2026 | NP Chronicles Clinical Education

The ACS Just Updated Its Colorectal Cancer Screening Guideline. Here’s What NPs Need to Know.

By Valerie Watters-Burke, DNSc, MSN, MBA, FNP-BC, GNP-BC, PPCNP-BC

On stool-based molecular testing, blood-based screening, and why “the best test” is still the one the patient actually completes

CLINICAL AND PROFESSIONAL BOTTOM LINE

The 2026 American Cancer Society colorectal cancer screening guideline does not change the core age recommendations: average-risk adults should still begin screening at age 45, continue through age 75 if life expectancy is greater than 10 years, individualize screening decisions from ages 76 to 85, and generally stop screening after age 85.

What is new is the screening menu.

The ACS now recognizes newly approved molecular stool-based tests — including the multitarget stool RNA test and next-generation multitarget stool DNA test — as preferred stool-based screening options when used every 3 years. These join annual high-sensitivity FIT and high-sensitivity guaiac-based fecal occult blood testing as preferred noninvasive stool-based options.

Blood-based colorectal cancer screening also enters the conversation, but with important limits. The ACS does not consider blood-based cell-free DNA testing a preferred screening option at this time. It should be reserved for patients who decline or do not complete preferred stool-based testing or direct visual exams, and only after a clear conversation about its limitations — especially lower sensitivity for advanced precancerous lesions and early-stage cancers.

For NPs, the message is practical: offer options, explain trade-offs honestly, and make sure every positive noncolonoscopy test is followed by timely colonoscopy, preferably within 6 months. A stool test, blood test, or CT colonography is not “complete screening” if a positive result never gets diagnostic follow-up.

The Screening Conversation Is Changing

For years, colorectal cancer screening conversations have often sounded familiar:

“Are you ready for your colonoscopy?”

The patient hesitates.

Then the visit moves into the usual barriers: bowel prep, time off work, transportation, fear of sedation, insurance questions, embarrassment, prior bad experiences, or the simple reality that many patients do not want an invasive test unless they absolutely have to.

That conversation still matters. Colonoscopy remains a powerful screening and prevention tool because it can detect cancer and remove precancerous lesions in the same procedure. But the 2026 ACS update reflects what NPs already know from daily practice: patients do not all accept the same screening pathway.

Some patients will do a colonoscopy.

Some will complete a stool test at home.

Some will only agree to screening if it can be done with a blood draw.

And some will agree in the exam room but never complete the test unless the system follows up.

The ACS update is not just about adding new tests. It is about using the expanding screening landscape in a way that increases real completion — without quietly substituting less effective options for patients who would have completed a preferred test.

What Actually Changed in the 2026 ACS Guideline?

The biggest update is the addition of newer molecular-based stool tests and conditional guidance on blood-based testing.

The ACS now includes the multitarget stool RNA test, known as mt-sRNA, as a preferred stool-based option every 3 years. The guideline also addresses next-generation multitarget stool DNA testing, or ng-mt-sDNA, as an updated version of the already recommended stool DNA approach.

These tests are part of a broader shift toward molecular screening strategies that look for markers associated with colorectal cancer and advanced precancerous lesions. The goal is to improve detection while giving patients more acceptable noninvasive choices.

At the same time, the ACS is cautious about blood-based screening. Blood-based cell-free DNA testing may improve participation among people who otherwise remain unscreened, but it is not considered equivalent to preferred stool-based or visual screening options. The reason is important: blood-based tests have lower sensitivity for advanced precancerous lesions and stage I colorectal cancer compared with stool-based tests and direct visual exams.

That distinction matters clinically. Colorectal cancer screening is not only about finding cancer after it has developed. It is also about preventing cancer by identifying and removing advanced precancerous lesions before they become malignant.

Preferred Screening Options in 2026

For average-risk adults, the ACS continues to recommend regular screening with either a high-sensitivity stool-based test or a structural, direct visual examination.

Screening option	Recommended interval	Practical NP takeaway
High-sensitivity FIT	Every year	Strong option for programmatic screening, but only works if repeated annually and followed by colonoscopy when positive.
High-sensitivity gFOBT	Every year	Acceptable stool-based option, but dietary and medication restrictions can affect completion.
Multitarget stool DNA, original or next-generation	Every 3 years	Higher sensitivity for cancer and advanced precancerous lesions than FIT, but lower specificity, meaning more follow-up colonoscopies.
Multitarget stool RNA	Every 3 years	Newly added preferred stool-based option with high cancer sensitivity and moderate advanced lesion sensitivity, but lower specificity than some alternatives.
Colonoscopy	Every 10 years	Direct visualization and polyp removal; requires bowel prep, time, transportation, and procedural access.
CT colonography	Every 5 years	Visual exam option; positive findings still require colonoscopy.
Flexible sigmoidoscopy	Every 5 years	Less commonly used and does not evaluate the full colon.

The key clinical point: more options can increase screening participation, but only if patients understand what each option can and cannot do.

The New Stool RNA Test: What NPs Should Know

The multitarget stool RNA test is one of the most important additions in the 2026 update.

Unlike a traditional stool blood test alone, mt-sRNA combines multiple RNA biomarkers with a FIT component and patient-reported smoking status to generate a screening result. In the evidence reviewed by the ACS, mt-sRNA demonstrated high sensitivity for colorectal cancer and moderate sensitivity for advanced precancerous lesions.

That sounds promising — and it is — but it comes with a trade-off.

Compared with FIT, mt-sRNA may detect more cancers and advanced lesions in a single round of testing, but it has lower specificity. Lower specificity means more false positives, which means more patients will be referred for colonoscopy after a positive test even though cancer or advanced precancerous lesions may not ultimately be found.

That does not make the test “bad.” It means the NP needs to frame it accurately.

A patient choosing mt-sRNA should understand:

·       It is done at home.

·       It is recommended every 3 years.

·       A positive result must be followed by colonoscopy.

·       It may lead to more follow-up colonoscopies than FIT because of lower specificity.

·       Long-term real-world adherence and repeated-round performance will need continued monitoring.

This is where NPs are essential. The test itself does not create a screening program. Patient education, tracking, follow-up, and colonoscopy completion do.

Blood-Based Screening: Useful, But Not Preferred

Blood-based colorectal cancer screening is likely to generate patient interest. Many patients who have avoided stool testing or colonoscopy may be willing to say yes to a blood draw.

That is the opportunity.

But the ACS is clear that blood-based testing should not be presented as simply equivalent to preferred screening options.

Blood-based cell-free DNA tests have lower sensitivity for advanced precancerous lesions and stage I colorectal cancer. That matters because a screening test that misses more early disease and more precancerous lesions has less potential to reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality.

In plain language: a blood test may be better than no screening, but it is not better than completing a preferred screening option.

The ACS recommends blood-based screening only for individuals who decline or do not complete preferred colorectal cancer screening tests. It should not be ordered casually, automatically, or without prior discussion.

A useful NP framing might be:

“If you are willing to complete a stool-based test or colonoscopy, those are preferred options because they are better at detecting precancerous changes and early cancer. If you are not willing or able to complete those, a blood-based test may still be better than remaining unscreened — but we need to talk through what it can miss and what happens if it is positive.”

That conversation preserves patient autonomy without overstating the test.

The Age Recommendations Did Not Change

Despite the addition of new testing options, the age framework remains the same.

The ACS continues to recommend that average-risk adults begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45. Screening should continue through age 75 for adults in good health with a life expectancy greater than 10 years.

From ages 76 through 85, screening decisions should be individualized. That means NPs should consider the patient’s overall health, life expectancy, prior screening history, personal preferences, and whether the patient would be able and willing to complete follow-up colonoscopy or treatment if something is found.

After age 85, colorectal cancer screening is generally discouraged.

This age framework is especially important because colorectal cancer rates have been rising among younger adults. The 45-year starting point is not an administrative detail. It is a clinical response to a real epidemiologic shift.

A Positive Noncolonoscopy Test Is Not the End of Screening

This may be the most important operational point in the entire guideline.

Every positive noncolonoscopy screening test requires timely follow-up colonoscopy to complete the screening process. That includes FIT, gFOBT, mt-sDNA, mt-sRNA, CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy findings requiring full evaluation, and blood-based tests.

A positive stool or blood test without colonoscopy is an unfinished screening episode.

The ACS emphasizes follow-up preferably within 6 months. Delays matter because the purpose of screening is not simply to generate a lab result. The purpose is to identify disease early enough to prevent cancer or reduce mortality.

For practices, this means screening cannot be treated as a “hand the patient a kit and hope” process.

A reliable colorectal cancer screening workflow should include:

1.      Identifying eligible patients beginning at age 45.

2.      Offering preferred screening options with clear counseling.

3.      Documenting the patient’s chosen screening method.

4.      Tracking whether the test was completed.

5.      Contacting patients who do not return stool kits or complete ordered tests.

6.      Flagging every positive result.

7.      Coordinating timely colonoscopy.

8.      Confirming colonoscopy completion and pathology follow-up.

9.      Returning the patient to the appropriate screening or surveillance interval.

Without that infrastructure, even the best test underperforms.

What NPs Should Say in Practice

Patients do not need a lecture on molecular assays. They need a clear recommendation and a practical choice.

For an average-risk 46-year-old who has never been screened:

“You are now in the age range where colorectal cancer screening is recommended. We have several options, including stool-based tests you can do at home and colonoscopy. The most important thing is choosing a high-quality option you will actually complete.”

For a patient avoiding colonoscopy:

“Colonoscopy is one option, but it is not the only option. If you are not ready for that, we can talk about stool-based screening. Some are done every year, and some molecular stool tests are done every 3 years. If any of them are positive, the next step is colonoscopy.”

For a patient asking for the blood test:

“There is a blood-based screening test, but it is not the preferred option because it is less sensitive for precancerous lesions and early cancers. If you are willing to do a stool test or colonoscopy, those are better choices. If you are not willing to do those, then we can discuss the blood test as an alternative to remaining unscreened.”

For a patient with a positive stool or blood test:

“This result does not mean you have cancer, but it does mean we need to complete the screening process with a colonoscopy. The follow-up colonoscopy is the step that tells us what is actually going on.”

The Real Clinical Challenge Is Completion

The 2026 ACS update gives NPs more tools. But more tools do not automatically produce better outcomes.

A patient can be offered the perfect screening option and still never complete it.

A stool kit can sit on the kitchen counter.

A colonoscopy referral can get lost between scheduling calls, insurance questions, and transportation barriers.

A positive test can be documented in the chart without anyone owning the next step.

That is where nursing practice matters.

NPs are often the clinicians who identify the overdue patient, explain the why, troubleshoot the barrier, and reinforce follow-through. The guideline update should push practices to think beyond “screening ordered” and toward “screening completed.”

Final Clinical Bottom Line

The 2026 ACS colorectal cancer screening guideline expands preferred stool-based screening options to include newer molecular tests such as multitarget stool RNA and next-generation multitarget stool DNA testing at 3-year intervals. It also introduces cautious, conditional guidance for blood-based screening, limiting its use to patients who decline or fail to complete preferred stool-based or visual screening options.

The core recommendations remain unchanged: start average-risk screening at age 45, continue through age 75 when life expectancy supports it, individualize from 76 to 85, and discourage screening after 85.

For NPs, the practical message is straightforward: offer patients real choices, explain the trade-offs clearly, do not oversell blood-based screening, and build reliable systems to ensure positive noncolonoscopy tests are followed by colonoscopy.

Because the best colorectal cancer screening test is not the newest test, the easiest test, or the one ordered most often.

It is the one the patient completes — and the one the practice follows all the way through.

 

References

1. Wolf AMD, Hoffman RM, Walter LC, Zeigler-Johnson C, Church TR, Guerra CE, Elkin EB, Etzioni R, Herzig A, Oeffinger KC, Perkins RB, Raoof S, Shih Y-CT, Skates SJ, Kratzer TB, Manassaram-Baptiste D, Smith RA. Colorectal cancer screening: An update to the American Cancer Society guideline, 2026. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2026. doi:10.3322/caac.70083.
2. American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Screening Guidelines. American Cancer Society. Accessed June 2026.
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves new colorectal cancer screening tests, including molecular stool-based and blood-based screening options. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed June 2026.
4. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare coverage information for colorectal cancer screening tests. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed June 2026.

 

© 2026 NP Chronicles | Clinical Education for NP Students and New Graduates | npchronicles.com

This post is intended for educational purposes. Always consult the full prescribing information and current clinical guidelines for patient care decisions.

 

NFECTIOUS DISEASE  |  STI PREVENTION & SEXUAL HEALTH

June 2026  |  NP Chronicles Clinical Education

 

DoxyPEP in 2026: What Every NP Needs to Know About Prescribing, Patient Selection, and Antibiotic Stewardship

By Valerie Watters-Burke, DNSc, MSN, MBA, FNP-BC, GNP-BC, PPCNP-BC

Based on: Bacic Lima D. DoxyPEP in 2026: Who Benefits, How to Prescribe, and What to Watch. Infectious Disease Special Edition. April 23, 2026. idse.net

 

CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE

DoxyPEP — doxycycline 200 mg taken within 72 hours after unprotected sexual exposure — is now CDC-endorsed, evidence-backed, and increasingly part of routine STI prevention practice for MSM and transgender women who have sex with men. NPs in primary care, sexual health, family practice, telehealth, and urgent care settings are encountering patients who have already heard of it and want to discuss it. This post gives you everything you need: the trial data, candidacy criteria, prescribing details, counseling points, and the resistance conversation — organized for clinical use.

 

Why NPs Need to Know DoxyPEP Now

Your patients are ahead of you on this one. Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis has been covered extensively in lay media, LGBTQ+ health forums, and online HIV prevention communities. Patients on HIV PrEP — a population that many NPs now manage routinely — are asking about doxyPEP at the same visit. Non-ID providers are encountering it in telehealth queues, urgent care settings, and college health centers.

The good news: this is a genuinely practical, affordable, learnable intervention. Unlike many pharmacologic advances, doxyPEP does not require a new workflow, specialized equipment, or subspecialty referral. It can be integrated into an existing PrEP or sexual health visit in minutes. The prescription is straightforward. The evidence for appropriate populations is solid. And the monitoring cadence you already use for PrEP applies here.

What doxyPEP is: A patient-managed, event-driven strategy — doxycycline 200 mg taken once within 72 hours after unprotected sexual exposure — to reduce the risk of bacterial STIs, primarily syphilis and chlamydia.

What doxyPEP is not: A treatment for active STIs, a substitute for HIV PrEP, a replacement for condoms or vaccination, or a strategy for all populations or all STIs.

The Evidence: What the Randomized Trials Show

DoxyPEP has been evaluated in four landmark trials. Understanding what each showed — and for whom — is essential for appropriate prescribing and patient counseling.

 

Trial	Population	Chlamydia / Syphilis	Gonorrhea
IPERGAY Sub-Study (France)	MSM on HIV PrEP N=212	~70% relative risk reduction	No significant reduction
US DoxyPEP Trial (SF & Seattle)	MSM & TGW on PrEP or HIV+ N=501	~2/3 reduction in combined incidence; ~55% reduction in gonorrhea	~55% reduction (best gonorrhea result)
dPEP Kenya Study	Cisgender women ages 18-30 on PrEP n=449	No significant reduction	No significant reduction
DOXYVAC Study (France)	MSM on PrEP ≥6 months with ≥1 bacterial STI in prior 12 months N=545	Strong reduction	Lower efficacy

 

Reading the Data: Key Clinical Takeaways

Syphilis and chlamydia: consistent and strong. Across every trial that enrolled MSM and transgender women, reductions in syphilis and chlamydia were robust — approximately 70% relative risk reduction in the IPERGAY sub-study, strong reductions confirmed in the US DoxyPEP trial and DOXYVAC. This is the core efficacy signal and should anchor your patient counseling.

Gonorrhea: variable and concerning. The gonorrhea picture is more complicated. The US DoxyPEP trial showed approximately 55% reduction in incident gonorrhea — the best result across any trial. But the French trials (IPERGAY, DOXYVAC) showed little to no gonorrhea benefit, likely reflecting higher baseline tetracycline resistance in France. In the United States, tetM-mediated tetracycline resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has risen to at least 30% as of early 2025, and the trend is upward. Patients should understand that doxyPEP is not a reliable gonorrhea prevention strategy.

Cisgender women: no demonstrated efficacy. The dPEP Kenya trial showed no significant reduction in bacterial STI incidence in cisgender women ages 18–30 on HIV PrEP. Hair drug level analysis in a subset revealed suboptimal adherence despite high self-reported adherence. Additionally, unfavorable vaginal tissue pharmacokinetics — particularly for patients taking doxyPEP closer to the 72-hour limit — may reduce efficacy after vaginal exposure. DoxyPEP should not be routinely offered to cisgender women; individualized shared decision-making is required when requested.

NOTE on cisgender heterosexual men: There are no RCT data on doxyPEP efficacy in cisgender heterosexual men. This population was not included in the landmark trials. Prescribing in this setting is off-label without supporting evidence and requires individualized discussion.

 

Who to Offer DoxyPEP: A Candidacy Framework

The CDC recommends discussing and offering doxyPEP to MSM and TGW who have had at least one bacterial STI (syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea) in the preceding 12 months. This mirrors the eligibility criteria of the landmark trials and identifies patients in high-incidence sexual networks where benefit is most clearly established.

Additional CDC guidance supports discussing doxyPEP with MSM and TGW who may not yet have had a documented STI but are at increased risk. The key factors are: the patient is motivated, understands the evidence and its limits, and is committed to follow-up STI screening.

 

Clinical Question	Guidance
Is the patient MSM or TGW who has sex with men?	YES → Strong evidence from RCTs. Offer doxyPEP. NO → Do not routinely offer. Individualize only after careful shared decision-making, data counseling, and commitment to follow-up.
Has there been a bacterial STI in the last 12 months, or is there ongoing high risk?	YES → Offer doxyPEP. Mirrors landmark trial eligibility. NO → Consider if patient strongly prefers and will adhere to follow-up. Reinforce vaccines, condoms, and screening. Reassess candidacy frequently.
Are there current symptoms of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis?	YES → Evaluate and treat the active STI first per guidelines. Consider starting doxyPEP after treatment completion. NO → Proceed to offer doxyPEP if other criteria are met.
Is the patient a cisgender woman or heterosexual cisgender man?	Evidence is insufficient. The Kenya dPEP trial showed no efficacy in cisgender women; adherence issues and unfavorable vaginal pharmacokinetics are implicated. Individualize with robust shared decision-making. Do not routinely prescribe.

 

How to Prescribe DoxyPEP: The Clinical Details

DoxyPEP can typically be initiated in the same visit where HIV prevention, HIV care, or STI testing is being addressed. The prescribing framework is straightforward and the follow-up cadence aligns with existing PrEP monitoring.

 

Item	Details
Dose	Doxycycline hyclate OR monohydrate 200 mg (two 100-mg tablets/capsules) as soon as possible after unprotected oral or anal sex — no later than 72 hours after exposure.
Maximum	200 mg per 24 hours regardless of number of sex acts in that window.
Quantity	Prescribe enough until next follow-up based on anticipated use. Common practice: 60 tablets (30 doses); reassess at 3 months.
Formulation	Hyclate and monohydrate are both acceptable. Monohydrate may have fewer GI side effects but availability/coverage varies.
Administration	Take with a full glass of water. Remain upright for at least 30 minutes after. Best tolerated with food. Separate from iron, calcium, magnesium, and other polyvalent cations by at least 2 hours.
Side Effects	Nausea, reflux, diarrhea, photosensitivity, pill esophagitis, fixed drug eruptions. Take with food to minimize GI effects.
Follow-Up	Reassess ongoing need every 3–6 months. Screen for STIs (syphilis serology + site-specific gonorrhea and chlamydia NAAT) at each visit. 3-month interval aligns with HIV PrEP follow-up.
What It Does NOT Prevent	HIV, HSV, mpox, hepatitis, or other viral STIs. Not a replacement for HIV PrEP/PEP, condoms, vaccination, or routine STI screening.

 

A Note on Formulation: Hyclate vs. Monohydrate

Both formulations are clinically acceptable. Doxycycline monohydrate is less acidic and less water-soluble than hyclate, and some data suggest it may have a lower incidence of GI side effects — particularly nausea and esophageal irritation. However, formulary availability and insurance coverage vary significantly. The clinical priority is ensuring the patient can actually obtain and afford the medication; efficacy between the two salt forms is equivalent.

Practical Counseling: What to Tell Your Patients

Keeping the counseling brief, clear, and consistent is the priority. A one-page written handout reinforces verbal instruction and reduces errors — particularly important when patients are also learning on-demand HIV PrEP (the 2-1-1 regimen), which has a different dosing schedule. Patients can easily confuse the two.

The Core Messages

•       Sooner is better. The studied window is up to 72 hours, but taking doxyPEP earlier — ideally within 24 hours — is likely more effective. Timing matters.

•       DoxyPEP works best for syphilis and chlamydia. It is not reliable for gonorrhea prevention, and it does not prevent HIV, HSV, mpox, or other viral STIs.

•       DoxyPEP is one tool in a toolkit, not a standalone strategy. It works best alongside HIV PrEP (if indicated), HPV and hepatitis B vaccination, regular STI screening, and condoms when desired.

•       Take it correctly. Full glass of water, stay upright for at least 30 minutes, with food if possible. Avoid taking it with dairy, antacids, iron, or calcium supplements at the same time.

•       Follow-up matters. STI testing every 3 months is part of the doxyPEP regimen — not optional. This is how infections are caught early and how your ongoing candidacy is reassessed.

•       It does not replace PrEP. If you are on HIV PrEP, continue it. DoxyPEP and HIV PrEP are different drugs for different purposes and are used together, not interchangeably.

 

Practical tip: When a patient is starting both on-demand HIV PrEP (2-1-1) and doxyPEP at the same visit, use a side-by-side written comparison. '2-1-1 for HIV prevention BEFORE and AFTER sex' vs. 'DoxyPEP 200 mg AFTER sex within 72 hours.' The timing and trigger are different enough that verbal-only counseling leads to errors.

 

The Antibiotic Resistance Conversation: What You Need to Know

Any time an antibiotic is used for prophylaxis rather than treatment, stewardship questions arise. For doxyPEP, three resistance concerns deserve clinical attention.

1. Gonorrhea: The Most Immediate Concern

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has significant baseline tetracycline resistance, mediated primarily by the tetM gene, which encodes a ribosomal protection protein that prevents doxycycline from binding effectively to the bacterial ribosome. This gene is carried on mobile genetic elements (plasmids and transposons) that can transfer between bacterial species.

tetM-carrying N. gonorrhoeae has been expanding in the United States — rising to at least 30% resistance as of early 2025 according to surveillance data published in NEJM. This is the primary reason gonorrhea efficacy in doxyPEP trials has been inconsistent and why the signal will likely weaken further as doxyPEP use scales nationally. Patients should be counseled explicitly: doxyPEP should not be relied upon for gonorrhea prevention.

2. Bystander Resistance: Staph aureus and the Microbiome

Early surveillance data suggest that heavier doxyPEP use may be associated with increased tetracycline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in the nasopharynx of exposed individuals. Because the resistance genes (tetM, others) are frequently located on mobile genetic elements, they can travel alongside other resistance determinants — including genes that increase minimum inhibitory concentrations for beta-lactams (such as penA).

The clinical significance of this bystander resistance in real-world populations is still being characterized. It is not a reason to withhold doxyPEP from appropriate candidates, but it is a reason to continue monitoring through surveillance programs and to avoid prescribing doxyPEP in populations where the benefit-risk calculation is unclear (cisgender women, low-risk patients, those unable to adhere to follow-up).

3. Chlamydia and Syphilis: No Resistance Signal (Yet)

The reassuring finding: there is no identified resistance signal that undermines doxyPEP's effectiveness against Chlamydia trachomatis or Treponema pallidum. These remain the strongest efficacy targets, and surveillance through 2025 has not identified meaningful doxycycline resistance in these organisms. Continued monitoring is warranted as use scales — but the current evidence does not raise a near-term chlamydia or syphilis resistance concern.

For NPs managing doxyPEP patients: Document every prescription with the indication (doxyPEP for bacterial STI PEP), the population (MSM/TGW with documented STI risk), and the follow-up plan. This supports stewardship tracking, enables population-level surveillance, and demonstrates appropriate prescribing practice.

 

Integrating DoxyPEP Into Your Practice Workflow

DoxyPEP does not require a new visit type or a separate workflow. The most practical approach is integration with existing HIV PrEP visits, sexual health appointments, or STI testing encounters. The follow-up cadence — every 3 months — is identical to HIV PrEP monitoring.

At the Initiating Visit

1.    Take a baseline sexual history and STI risk assessment. Document population (MSM/TGW with male partners), recent STI history, and current STI risk factors.

2.    Rule out active STI symptoms. If symptomatic, evaluate and treat first, then consider doxyPEP initiation after treatment.

3.    Order baseline STI screening: syphilis serology (RPR or VDRL), site-specific NAAT for gonorrhea and chlamydia (genital, rectal, pharyngeal as appropriate).

4.    Counsel using the core messages above. Provide written instructions.

5.    Prescribe: doxycycline hyclate or monohydrate 100 mg tablets, #60 tablets (30 doses), take 2 tablets within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Refills: 0 until follow-up.

6.    Schedule 3-month return for STI rescreening and reassessment of ongoing doxyPEP candidacy.

 

At Follow-Up Visits (Every 3 Months)

7.    Review doxyPEP use: how often used, any missed doses, any side effects.

8.    Repeat STI panel: syphilis serology, site-specific gonorrhea and chlamydia NAAT.

9.    Reassess ongoing candidacy: Has risk behavior changed? Are there new contraindications?

10. Refill prescription if still indicated. Adjust quantity based on actual reported use.

11. Reinforce counseling. Review written instructions again if dosing errors have occurred.

 

EMR tip: Build a doxyPEP order set that auto-generates the doxycycline prescription, STI screening labs, and a 3-month follow-up reminder in one click. This is the most impactful structural change you can make to increase uptake in a busy practice.

 

For NP Students and Board Exam Prep

DoxyPEP is recent enough that it may or may not appear on your board exam, but the underlying concepts certainly will. Here is how to connect this topic to testable frameworks:

12. STI epidemiology: Know the key bacterial STIs — syphilis (Treponema pallidum), gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), and chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis). Understand their transmission routes, screening recommendations, and first-line treatment regimens.

13. PrEP vs. PEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (taken before exposure to prevent infection) vs. post-exposure prophylaxis (taken after exposure). DoxyPEP is a post-exposure strategy. HIV PrEP is a pre-exposure strategy. Students commonly confuse these.

14. Tetracycline class pharmacology: Doxycycline is a second-generation tetracycline. Mechanism: binds the 30S ribosomal subunit, blocking aminoacyl-tRNA binding and inhibiting protein synthesis. Coverage: broad-spectrum, including intracellular organisms (Chlamydia, Rickettsia, Borrelia). Key contraindications: pregnancy, children under 8 years (permanent tooth staining and bone growth inhibition).

15. Antibiotic resistance mechanisms: For boards, know the major mechanisms — beta-lactamase production, ribosomal modification (relevant to tetracyclines via tetM), efflux pumps, and altered target sites. The ability of resistance genes to transfer via mobile genetic elements (plasmids) is a key stewardship concept.

16. Shared decision-making: DoxyPEP is a high-yield clinical communication example. Board questions may test your ability to identify appropriate candidates, recognize populations where evidence is insufficient, and demonstrate the elements of informed consent — including disclosure of evidence limitations.

 

The Bottom Line

Bacterial STIs — syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea — are at historically high levels in the United States. For MSM and transgender women who have sex with men, doxyPEP is a proven, affordable, and practical addition to the prevention toolkit. It is CDC-endorsed, supported by multiple randomized trials, and consistent with real-world implementation data showing meaningful reductions in syphilis and chlamydia.

NPs are well-positioned to prescribe doxyPEP — particularly those already managing HIV PrEP, providing sexual health care, or working in telehealth settings where these conversations happen daily. The skill set required is already yours: sexual history taking, shared decision-making, STI screening interpretation, and routine follow-up.

What patients need from you is straightforward: accurate information about who benefits and who doesn't, clear prescribing instructions, honest counseling about what doxyPEP can and cannot do, and a commitment to the 3-month follow-up rhythm that makes this strategy work safely.

The STI burden in high-risk populations is real, the evidence is solid, and the tool is available. Know it, prescribe it appropriately, and talk about it without stigma.

 

 

References

•       Bachmann LH. CDC clinical guidelines on the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis for bacterial sexually transmitted infection prevention, United States, 2024. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2024;73(2):1-8.

•       Molina JM et al. Post-exposure prophylaxis with doxycycline to prevent STIs in men who have sex with men (IPERGAY). Lancet Infect Dis. 2018;18(3):308-317.

•       Luetkemeyer AF et al. Postexposure doxycycline to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infections (US DoxyPEP Trial). N Engl J Med. 2023;388(14):1296-1306.

•       Stewart J et al. Doxycycline prophylaxis to prevent STIs in women (dPEP Kenya). N Engl J Med. 2023;389(25):2331-2340.

•       Molina JM et al. Doxycycline prophylaxis and meningococcal group B vaccine to prevent bacterial STIs (DOXYVAC). Lancet Infect Dis. 2024;24(10):1093-1104.

•       Helekal D et al. Expansion of tetM-carrying Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United States, 2018–2024. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(2):198-200.

•       Soge OO et al. Potential impact of doxyPEP on tetracycline resistance in N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus. Clin Infect Dis. 2025;80(6):1188-1196.

•       Bacic Lima D. DoxyPEP in 2026: Who Benefits, How to Prescribe, and What to Watch. Infectious Disease Special Edition. April 23, 2026. idse.net

 

© 2026 NP Chronicles | Clinical Education for NP Students and New Graduates | npchronicles.com

This post is intended for educational purposes. Always consult current CDC guidelines, clinical guidelines, and your institutional protocols for patient care decisions.