Legal Status of EPT - North Carolina

EPT is permissible.

I. Statutes/regs on health care providers’ authority to prescribe for STDs to a patient’s partner(s) w/out prior evaluation (Explanation)
II. Specific judicial decisions concerning EPT (or like practices) (Explanation)
III. Specific administrative opinions by the Attorney General or medical or pharmacy boards concerning EPT (or like practices) (Explanation)	"It is the position of the North Carolina Medical Board that prescribing drugs for an individual whom the licensee has not met or personally examined may be suitable when that individual is the partner of a patient whom the licensee is treating for gonorrhea or chlamydia. [Link to Medical Board Opinion]" (November 2009) “It is up to the Pharmacist to determine the legitimacy of each prescription, which arrives in the Pharmacy. One important consideration is the Board’s Rule on prescription orders, 21 NCAC 46.1801(b). . . . . The Rule specifically provides that a Pharmacist shall not fill or refill a prescription if the order was produced from a prescriber without a prior prescriber-patient relationship or without a physical examination.” [Link to Board of Pharmacy Opinion]
IV. Legislative bills or prospective regulations concerning EPT (or like practices) (Explanation)
V. Laws that incorporate via reference guidelines as acceptable practices (including EPT) (Explanation)	Regulations incorporate: APHA’s CCD Manual (as revised); any guidelines or recommendations published by CDC (as revised) shall supersede those contained in the CCD Manual. 10A N.C. Admin. Code 41A.0201. For gonorrhea and Chlamydia, regulations incorporate recommendations contained in the U.S. Public Health Service STD Treatment Guidelines (as revised). 10A N.C. Admin. Code 41A.0204.
VI. Prescription requirements (Explanation)	Prescription label must bear patient name. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-134.1.
VII. Assessment of EPT’s legal status with brief comments (Explanation)	EPT is permissible. The Medical Board expressly supports EPT and deems it an appropriate practice, which is further supported by the incorporation of CDC Treatment Guidelines.
Status as of November 1, 2009

Legend:
supports the use of EPT	EPT is permissible
negatively affects the use of EPT	EPT is potentially allowable
	EPT is prohibited

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Exception: EPT is permissible in Baltimore, Maryland.

Page last modified: February 5, 2010
Page last reviewed: February 5, 2010
Content Source: Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention