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Bill

SB 448

Permitting the use of expedited partner therapy to treat a sexually transmitted disease.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas would permit doctors to dispense STI medications directly to patients' sexual partners without requiring partner clinical exams, accelerating treatment to reduce disease spread.

Stricken from Calendar by Rule 1507
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Bill Summary · SB 448

Legislative bill overview

SB 448 would authorize expedited partner therapy (EPT) in Kansas, a public health practice where patients diagnosed with certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can receive medication or prescriptions to give directly to their sexual partners without requiring those partners to visit a healthcare provider first. This streamlines treatment by reducing barriers to partner notification and medication access during the critical window when infections are most transmissible.

Why is this important

STI transmission chains often break down because untreated partners unknowingly continue spreading infections. EPT addresses this by enabling same-day or next-day partner treatment, which public health data suggests reduces reinfection rates and slows disease spread. This is particularly relevant for conditions like chlamydia and gonorrhea, which have seen rising infection rates nationally in recent years.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical autonomy concerns: Some physicians and medical boards argue that prescribing medication to individuals who haven't been examined violates standard care practices and informed consent principles
  • Liability questions: Unclear whether healthcare providers or prescribers bear liability if untreated partners experience adverse reactions to medications they receive through EPT
  • Verification and fraud: Without partner examination, there's potential for misuse—patients could obtain extra medications or provide them to ineligible individuals under the guise of partner therapy

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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