Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Can Be Prevented! Telephone Consultation Also Available! — About Doxy-PEP and the Gonorrhea Vaccine
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are known as highly infectious STIs, and there are reports that sexual activity with a person who is positive results in infection in about 30% of cases for syphilis and 50% for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
These STIs are infectious even without symptoms, and once infected you need to refrain from sexual activity for at least 2 weeks, including the confirmatory test (testing again after treatment).
Recent research has shown that syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia can be prevented with medication and a vaccine, and here we explain the medication (Doxy-PEP) and the gonorrhea vaccine.
At our clinic, all of the above can be prescribed on the same day after a consultation.
For Doxy-PEP, we also offer telephone consultation and a delivery service. For details, please refer to the button below.
– Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are STIs that infect not only the genitals but also the throat and anus.
– To prevent these STIs with a condom, it must be worn at times other than penetration as well.
– Doxy-PEP is a prevention method in which medication is taken only once after sexual contact (post-exposure prophylaxis).
– A vaccine is also effective for preventing gonorrhea, and a 50% preventive effect has been reported with two doses. Taking it together with Doxy-PEP can be expected to provide an even higher effect.
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Syphilis, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Are Preventable STIs
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia are STIs that can be prevented.
We are now in an era in which the five major STIs — HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia — can all be prevented as follows, and at our clinic we can provide treatment, testing and prevention for all of them.
– HIV ➡ HIV prevention medication (PrEP and PEP)
– hepatitis B ➡ hepatitis vaccine
– syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia ➡ Doxy-PEP, gonorrhea vaccine
– Clicking “HIV prevention medication” or “hepatitis vaccine” takes you to the detailed page.
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia can infect not only the genitals but also the throat and anus.
In the throat and anus in particular, most people have no symptoms even when infected, but they pass the infection to others through sexual activity, causing ping-pong infection.
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia can be prevented by using Doxy-PEP, which is a medication taken by mouth. In recent years in particular, there have been reports that a vaccine is also effective against gonorrhea.
What is Doxy-PEP?
It is a method of preventing syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia by taking 200mg of doxycycline (Vibramycin) within 72 hours after sexual activity.
For those living far away, we offer telephone consultations and a delivery service.
Please see below for details. Registration with our LINE account is required for telephone consultations and delivery.
Effectiveness of Doxy-PEP
The infection-prevention effect of Doxy-PEP was reported as 87 percent for syphilis, 88 percent for chlamydia and 55 percent for gonorrhea (International AIDS Society, July 2022).
For these STIs, it is said that sexual activity with a positive partner results in transmission approximately 30% of the time for syphilis and approximately 50% of the time for chlamydia and gonorrhea, making this an extremely high prevention rate that is attracting worldwide attention.
On the other hand, doxycycline is a common antibiotic used for purposes other than the treatment of STIs, and side effects such as abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea also exist.
Regarding Doxy-PEP, we provide a full explanation of the risks and benefits under a doctor’s consultation and consider suitability for each patient individually. Please ask for details at the doctor’s consultation.
Our clinic prescribes Doxy-PEP to patients at high risk of contracting STIs, with the cooperation of the AIDS Clinical Center (ACC) and our affiliated clinic, the Personal Health Clinic (Tokyo).
By accumulating this information, we are verifying the effectiveness of Doxy-PEP in Japan and working to build a new form of preventive healthcare that can be given back to society.
– Those who have previously had an STI such as syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia
– Those who engage in sexual activity including oral sex and want to prevent syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia
– Those who have multiple sexual partners
– Those with especially frequent opportunities for infection, such as CSWs (people working in the sex industry, the adult video industry, etc.), etc.
Cost of Doxy-PEP
When starting or continuing Doxy-PEP, be sure to undergo appropriate testing. Prescriptions from facilities that do not perform the relevant tests, or personal imports without testing, carry a risk of drug resistance and are dangerous.
A prescription for Doxy-PEP requires testing for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia (for gonorrhea and chlamydia, all sites where there has been an opportunity for infection).
We have everyone who starts (or continues) Doxy-PEP undergo testing for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis at a special price.
(Price) = (Consultation Fee) + (Testing Fee) + (Medication Fee)
– Consultation fee: First visit 2,500 yen, follow-up visit 1,000 yen (tax included)
– A doctor’s consultation is always required to prescribe Doxy-PEP.
[Testing Fee]
Syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia (3 sites: genital, throat, anal): 5,000 yen (tax included) (normally 20,000 yen)
If you wish to test for syphilis only, or gonorrhea/chlamydia only, for example in combination with another testing menu, the special prices below will apply.
Syphilis (quantitative test): 3,000 yen (tax included) (normally 5,000 yen)
Gonorrhea/chlamydia (3 sites: genital, throat, anal): 3,000 yen (tax included) (normally 20,000 yen)
[Medication Fee]
| Quantity | Cost (tax included) |
|---|---|
| 2 tablets (1 dose) | 900 yen |
| 10 tablets (5 doses) | 4,000 yen |
Those who have undergone all testing including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia (for gonorrhea and chlamydia, all sites where there has been an opportunity for infection) within 1 week can be prescribed with only the consultation fee and medication fee.
Tests taken outside our clinic are also eligible. For those using the 3-Time Set of regular testing, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing is included in the set, so a prescription is possible on the day of testing.
If you wish to receive only the Doxy-PEP medication, please be sure to bring something showing your test results. (A separate consultation fee is required)
When starting or continuing Doxy-PEP, be sure to undergo appropriate testing. Prescriptions from facilities that do not perform the relevant tests, or personal imports without testing, carry a risk of drug resistance and are dangerous.
At our clinic, we offer vaginal discharge testing (vaginal candidiasis, trichomonas and bacterial vaginitis) at a special price to those who are prescribed Doxy-PEP.
Vaginal discharge test (vaginal candidiasis, trichomonas and bacterial vaginitis): 3,000 yen (normally 4,500 yen)
For costs of Doxy-PEP and any questions, please contact us via our Official LINE.
How to Start Doxy-PEP
When starting Doxy-PEP, the guidelines require testing for syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at the first visit (for gonorrhea and chlamydia, all sites where there was an opportunity for infection). (For details, please see this page)
For those starting Doxy-PEP, we perform a quantitative syphilis test and gonorrhea and chlamydia testing (PCR test, 3 sites: genital, throat, anal).
When starting or continuing Doxy-PEP, be sure to undergo appropriate testing. Prescriptions from facilities that do not perform the relevant tests, or personal imports without testing, carry a risk of drug resistance and are dangerous.
At our clinic, a physician certified by the Japanese Society for AIDS Research can provide specialist explanations and prescriptions of HIV prevention medication (PrEP/PEP) and STI prevention medication during all consultation hours.
For those who purchase these at our clinic, we accept any questions — such as interactions with other drugs or how to take them — via LINE 24 hours a day. Please feel free to contact us.
Doxy-PEP is not effective against infections for which you have already tested positive.
Please ask a doctor, including about treatment methods.
About the Gonorrhea Vaccine (Meningococcal B Vaccine)
The meningococcal B vaccine has been used as a vaccine to prevent meningitis (a disease in which the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord become inflamed).
Meningococcus B and gonococcus have similar capsules, a membrane-like structure on the outside of the cell, so it was thought that the vaccine might be usable as a vaccine to prevent gonorrhea.
Development began to move forward from around 2004, and in recent years a French research team reported that the meningococcal B vaccine can prevent gonorrhea by 51%.
Rather than using Doxy-PEP and the vaccine each on its own, we believe that combining them provides a higher preventive effect against gonococcal bacteria, which has been difficult to prevent until now.
For those with an allergy to medications for treating gonorrhea, treatment is difficult if they contract gonorrhea, so prevention with a vaccine is important.
– Those who have previously had gonorrhea or another STI
– Those who are allergic to the first-line drug for gonorrhea treatment (ceftriaxone)
– Those who have multiple sexual partners
– Those with especially frequent opportunities for infection, such as CSWs (people working in the sex industry, the adult video industry, etc.)
No serious side effects from the vaccine have been reported, but the following adverse reactions have been reported.
10% or more: pain and swelling at the vaccination site, fatigue, headache
1 to 9%: nausea, fever
The prices are as follows. Two doses can be expected to provide a preventive effect against gonorrhea.
Cost: 25,000 yen per dose (tax included)
Number of doses: 2 doses
Schedule: First dose, 1 month later
It is considered that combining it with Doxy-PEP provides a higher preventive effect against gonococcal bacteria.
Patients who receive the gonorrhea vaccine at our clinic can be tested free of charge for gonorrhea and chlamydia (at 3 sites: genital, throat and anal) at the time of the first and second doses (normally valued at 20,000 yen).
In addition, for one year from the date of the first dose, even outside of vaccination visits, you can be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia (at 3 sites: genital, throat and anal) for 3,000 yen (tax included).
This testing can only be provided as self-pay care (care outside insurance coverage). In accordance with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s principle that mixed billing is prohibited, please understand that treatment will also be self-pay.
▶Luetkemeyer AF, Donnell D, Dombrowski JC, et al. N Engl J Med. 2023
▶Japanese Society for Sexually Transmitted Infections, “Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of STIs 2020”
<Dr. Daisuke Shiojiri>
Director of Personal Health Clinic, Doctor of Medical Science.
At the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo) and at Personal Health Clinic, he provides correct, evidence-based knowledge on HIV, PrEP and other topics related to STIs and STI testing, along with care that stays close to patients' hearts.
Born in Japan but raised in Kenya, Africa, he also holds a medical license there and carries out medical assistance, educational assistance and other activities locally.
He also sees patients at our clinic as a part-time doctor.
