Getting STIs Even After Taking Preventive Medication: Doctor Says Dual Protection with Right Meds and Condoms is Needed
Even with preventive medication, people can still contract STIs. Doctors emphasize that effective STI prevention requires both the correct medication and the dual protection of condoms, as PrEP and PEP are not cure-alls and are specific to certain STIs.
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- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 19:27
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(Central News Agency reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, 1st) Some people seek preventive medication to avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Doctors warn that patients often treat preventive drugs as a "panacea," mistakenly believing that one type of medication can clear all bases. In reality, correct medication combined with condoms is the only way to stay away from STIs.
Urologist Dr. Gu Fang-yu recently stated in a press release that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provides pre-exposure protection, and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) offers emergency intervention after exposure. Neither is 100% effective, and "different STIs" have their specific PrEP or PEP, with varying protective capabilities that are not universally applicable to all STIs.
A 30-year-old man sought medical attention for urethral discharge and was diagnosed with gonorrhea. The man wondered, "Why did I still get infected even though I took PrEP?" Dr. Gu Fang-yu explained that if the man's PrEP was for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), it naturally could not prevent gonorrhea infection.
Dr. Gu Fang-yu explained that the most effective and mature preventive medications currently available are for "Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)," including PrEP and PEP. Other common STIs have corresponding drug protective capabilities. For example, for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, "DOXY PEP (post-exposure prophylactic antibiotic)" can reduce the risk of infection, offering better protection against syphilis and chlamydia, but limited protection against gonorrhea.
In recent years, STI cases in Taiwan have shown different trends. Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Centers for Disease Control indicate that in 2025, there were 879 new HIV infections and 6,417 gonorrhea cases nationwide, a decrease of 12% and 16% respectively compared to 1,000 and 7,607 cases in 2024. However, new syphilis cases increased slightly by 2% to 9,935 in 2025 from 9,737 in 2024; particularly, new syphilis cases among those aged 15 to 24 increased by 8% to 1,892 in 2025 from 1,754 in 2024.
Regarding mpox (Mpox), Dr. Gu Fang-yu stated that although post-exposure medication can offer about 90% protection, direct vaccination remains the preferred prevention method, providing over 85% protection. The most effective way to prevent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is also HPV vaccination, which offers over 90% protection.
The CDC provides government-subsidized PrEP for high-risk groups. Individuals needing PEP assistance can consult urology clinics. Dr. Gu Fang-yu emphasized that regardless of PrEP or PEP, while the correct medication can significantly reduce infection risk, it is not 100% guaranteed. Therefore, consistently and correctly using condoms during sexual activity, combined with medication or vaccination, is the only sure way to stay away from STIs.
Urologist Dr. Gu Fang-yu recently stated in a press release that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provides pre-exposure protection, and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) offers emergency intervention after exposure. Neither is 100% effective, and "different STIs" have their specific PrEP or PEP, with varying protective capabilities that are not universally applicable to all STIs.
A 30-year-old man sought medical attention for urethral discharge and was diagnosed with gonorrhea. The man wondered, "Why did I still get infected even though I took PrEP?" Dr. Gu Fang-yu explained that if the man's PrEP was for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), it naturally could not prevent gonorrhea infection.
Dr. Gu Fang-yu explained that the most effective and mature preventive medications currently available are for "Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)," including PrEP and PEP. Other common STIs have corresponding drug protective capabilities. For example, for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, "DOXY PEP (post-exposure prophylactic antibiotic)" can reduce the risk of infection, offering better protection against syphilis and chlamydia, but limited protection against gonorrhea.
In recent years, STI cases in Taiwan have shown different trends. Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Centers for Disease Control indicate that in 2025, there were 879 new HIV infections and 6,417 gonorrhea cases nationwide, a decrease of 12% and 16% respectively compared to 1,000 and 7,607 cases in 2024. However, new syphilis cases increased slightly by 2% to 9,935 in 2025 from 9,737 in 2024; particularly, new syphilis cases among those aged 15 to 24 increased by 8% to 1,892 in 2025 from 1,754 in 2024.
Regarding mpox (Mpox), Dr. Gu Fang-yu stated that although post-exposure medication can offer about 90% protection, direct vaccination remains the preferred prevention method, providing over 85% protection. The most effective way to prevent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is also HPV vaccination, which offers over 90% protection.
The CDC provides government-subsidized PrEP for high-risk groups. Individuals needing PEP assistance can consult urology clinics. Dr. Gu Fang-yu emphasized that regardless of PrEP or PEP, while the correct medication can significantly reduce infection risk, it is not 100% guaranteed. Therefore, consistently and correctly using condoms during sexual activity, combined with medication or vaccination, is the only sure way to stay away from STIs.