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. 2025 Jul;30(26):2400707.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.26.2400707.

Emergent informal use of doxycycline post- and pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men and transgender and gender diverse people, the Netherlands, 2024

Buhari Teker  1   2 , Elske Hoornenborg  3   2 , Maarten F Schim van der Loeff  3   4   5   2 , Anders Boyd  5   2   3   6 , Janneke Cm Heijne  2   3   4   5 , Maria Prins  5   2   3   4 , Udi Davidovich  7   2 , Henry Jc de Vries  1   2   3   4 , Vita W Jongen  6   3   2
Affiliations

Emergent informal use of doxycycline post- and pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men and transgender and gender diverse people, the Netherlands, 2024

Buhari Teker et al. Euro Surveill. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

BACKGROUNDDoxycycline post-exposure and pre-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP/PrEP) to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is not part of standard practice in the Netherlands but may be used informally (without prescription).AIMWe assessed informal use and intention to use doxyPEP/PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender and gender diverse people in the Netherlands.METHODSBetween 26 February and 6 May 2024, we conducted an online survey on informal doxyPEP/PrEP use in the preceding 6 months and intention to use. We assessed the determinants of recent informal use and high intention to use using risk ratio regression.RESULTSOf the 1,633 participating individuals (96.7% MSM) 246 (15%) reported doxyPEP/PrEP use in the preceding 6 months. Informal use was more common among participants who used HIV PrEP or were living with HIV, had ≥ 15 anonymous sexual partners, engaged in chemsex, wanted to protect themselves, got advice from others to use doxyPEP/PrEP and believed doxyPEP/PrEP is safe. High intention to use (n = 1,063 (65%) participants) was more common among participants using HIV PrEP or living with HIV, who wanted to have condomless sex, who wanted to protect others from STIs and who perceived doxyPEP/PrEP as effective and safe.CONCLUSIONAlthough doxyPEP/PrEP is not formally recommended in the Netherlands, survey participants reported informal use and a high intention to use. These findings, combined with the global increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), stress the need for close monitoring and further research on the AMR effects of doxyPEP/PrEP use.

Keywords: STI; antimicrobial-resistance; doxycycline; post-exposure prophylaxis; pre-exposure prophylaxis; prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure
Figure
Reasons to use or not use doxycycline post-exposure and pre-exposure among men who have sex with men and transgender and gender diverse persons, the Netherlands, 26 February–6 May 2024
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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