Patient Delivered Partner Therapy (PDPT) for Chlamydia
Treat your partner for chlamydia · Australia-wide telehealth
FREEtelehealth consult with Medicare (bulk-billed)
Diagnosed with chlamydia? A Specialist GP can give you treatment to pass to your partner — so they’re treated without needing their own appointment. PDPT is a safe, evidence-based way to stop chlamydia bouncing back and forth. The GP checks it’s suitable, then provides your partner’s single-dose treatment with a written information sheet.
Book a telehealth consult — free with Medicare (bulk-billed)
A Specialist GP checks PDPT is suitable and treats your chlamydia
You’re given your partner’s single-dose treatment and info sheet to pass on
Patient delivered partner therapy (PDPT) is when a person diagnosed with genital chlamydia is given antibiotic treatment — or a script for it — to pass directly to their recent sexual partner, so the partner can be treated without having to attend their own appointment first. The person who was diagnosed is sometimes called the “index patient”, and PDPT simply lets them deliver their partner’s treatment to them.
It’s a recognised, evidence-based approach supported by health authorities in Victoria as one way to make sure the partners of people with chlamydia actually get treated. The whole point is practical: it removes a common barrier — the partner needing to find time to see a doctor — and gets them treated quickly, which protects both of you.
Why PDPT is used
Chlamydia is very common and often causes no symptoms, so a partner can easily be infected without knowing it. If a partner isn’t treated, two problems follow:
Reinfection — an untreated partner can pass chlamydia straight back to you after your own treatment, a frustrating “ping-pong” cycle.
Onward spread and complications — untreated chlamydia can be passed to others and, in some people, can lead to complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease.
In reality, many partners never make it to a clinic — they’re busy, embarrassed, or don’t have symptoms so don’t see the urgency. PDPT bridges that gap: it means a partner who might otherwise go untreated actually gets treatment, which is better for them, for you, and for public health.
Is PDPT Safe and Effective?
Yes. Clinical trials have shown that treating the partners of people with chlamydia this way — using a single-dose antibiotic treatment taken by mouth — is a safe and effective method of clearing chlamydia in the partner. It’s been studied specifically for this purpose, and it’s endorsed in Victorian clinical guidance as a legitimate option. The treatment used is a single dose, which makes it simple to take and easy to pass on with clear written instructions.
The standard PDPT treatment for chlamydia is a single oral dose of a well-established antibiotic. A clinician will confirm it’s suitable for your partner before providing it, and it comes with written information so your partner knows how to take it and what to watch for.
PDPT is for chlamydia only
PDPT is only for genital chlamydia — not for other STIs. It should not be used for gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, Mycoplasma genitalium or other infections, because those need the partner to be properly tested and, in many cases, treated differently or with treatment given in a clinic. If you’ve been diagnosed with more than one infection, or with something other than chlamydia, your partner will need to be seen and tested rather than simply given treatment to take. This is an important limit on when PDPT applies.
Who PDPT Is Suitable For
A clinician decides whether PDPT is the right option in your situation. It’s generally suitable when:
You’ve been diagnosed with genital chlamydia.
Your partner is unlikely or unable to attend a clinic promptly for their own appointment.
Your partner has no symptoms suggesting a complication.
Your partner has no known allergy to the antibiotic and no reason it wouldn’t be safe for them.
Your partner is an adult.
Your clinician will ask you some questions about your partner to check PDPT is appropriate before providing it. Even when PDPT is used, your partner is always encouraged to have their own sexual health check as well — PDPT treats the chlamydia, but it isn’t a substitute for a full check-up.
When a partner should be seen instead
PDPT isn’t right for every partner. Your partner should see a clinician for their own assessment rather than just taking PDPT if any of the following apply:
They have symptoms — such as pain passing urine, discharge, pelvic or lower abdominal pain, testicular pain, or pain during sex — which may need examination and further treatment.
They are pregnant or breastfeeding, or might be pregnant — treatment choice needs a clinician’s input.
They have an allergy to the antibiotic, or take other regular treatment that might interact.
They might have another STI, or want a full check.
They are under 16, or there are other circumstances a clinician should consider.
In these situations, the safest and best option is for the partner to be seen in person. A clinic can help arrange that.
How PDPT Works, and Information for the Partner
If PDPT is appropriate, the process is straightforward. Your clinician will discuss the different ways of notifying and treating partners, and if you agree PDPT is the right choice, they’ll provide the treatment (or a script for it) for you to give to your partner, along with a written information sheet for them. You then pass the treatment and the information to your partner. The information sheet explains what the treatment is for, how to take it, what to avoid, and when your partner should see a doctor instead. It’s simple, discreet, and gets your partner treated quickly.
Information for the partner receiving treatment
If you’re the partner being given chlamydia treatment through PDPT, the key things to know are:
Take the treatment as directed — it’s a single dose for chlamydia.
Read the information sheet that comes with it, and don’t take it if any of the cautions apply to you (for example, an allergy, or if you’re or might be pregnant) — see a clinician instead.
Avoid sex for 7 days after you (and your partner) have been treated, to avoid passing the infection back and forth.
Get your own sexual health check as well — PDPT treats chlamydia, but a full check picks up anything else and is worthwhile.
See a doctor if you have symptoms, are pregnant, have an allergy, or are unsure — rather than relying on the tablet alone.
Other Ways to Tell Partners, and Avoiding Reinfection
PDPT is just one of several ways to make sure partners are informed and treated — and telling partners, while it can feel awkward, is an important and caring thing to do. Other options include:
Telling them yourself and suggesting they get tested and treated.
Clinic-assisted notification, where the clinic helps you work out how to tell partners.
Anonymous notification services — websites and tools that let you send a partner an anonymous message suggesting they get checked, if you’d prefer not to tell them directly.
Your clinician can talk you through these and help you choose what feels right for you and your partner. The goal is simply that partners get treated — however that best happens.
Avoiding reinfection and retesting
To make sure chlamydia is cleared for good: both you and your partner should complete treatment and avoid sex for 7 days afterwards, so you don’t reinfect each other. It’s also recommended to have a repeat chlamydia test about three months after treatment, because reinfection is common — this retest isn’t to check the treatment worked (it almost always does) but to catch any new infection early. Treating partners properly through PDPT is one of the best ways to prevent that ping-pong reinfection in the first place.
When to see a doctor
Speak with a clinician if you’ve been diagnosed with chlamydia and want to arrange treatment for a partner, if you’re unsure whether PDPT is right in your situation, or if your partner has symptoms, is pregnant, has an allergy, or would prefer their own check-up. And if you have symptoms yourself — pelvic or abdominal pain, testicular pain, fever, or pain during sex — get assessed, as these can point to a complication needing more than a single dose. Care is confidential and judgement-free.
Frequently asked questions
PDPT is when a person diagnosed with genital chlamydia is given antibiotic treatment — or a script for it — to pass directly to their recent sexual partner, so the partner can be treated without attending their own appointment first. It’s a recognised, evidence-based approach supported in Victoria, designed to make sure partners of people with chlamydia actually get treated by removing the barrier of a separate visit.
Chlamydia is common and often symptomless, so a partner can be infected without knowing. If they’re not treated, they can reinfect you after your own treatment (a “ping-pong” cycle) and pass it to others, sometimes leading to complications. Many partners never make it to a clinic. PDPT bridges that gap so a partner who might otherwise go untreated actually gets treatment quickly.
Yes. Clinical trials have shown that treating partners of people with chlamydia this way — using a single-dose oral antibiotic — is a safe and effective way to clear chlamydia in the partner. It’s been studied specifically for this purpose and is endorsed in Victorian clinical guidance. A clinician confirms it’s suitable for your partner before providing it, and it comes with written information on how to take it and what to watch for.
No. PDPT is only for genital chlamydia. It should not be used for gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, Mycoplasma genitalium or other infections, which need the partner to be properly tested and often treated differently or in a clinic. If you’ve been diagnosed with more than one infection, or something other than chlamydia, your partner needs to be seen and tested rather than simply given treatment to take.
A clinician decides, but PDPT is generally suitable when you’ve been diagnosed with genital chlamydia, your partner is unlikely or unable to attend a clinic promptly, your partner has no symptoms suggesting a complication, no known allergy to the antibiotic, and is an adult. Your clinician will ask a few questions about your partner to check it’s appropriate. Your partner is still encouraged to have their own sexual health check.
Your partner should be seen rather than just taking PDPT if they have symptoms (pain passing urine, discharge, pelvic or testicular pain, pain during sex), are or might be pregnant or are breastfeeding, have an allergy to the antibiotic or take treatment that might interact, might have another STI or want a full check, or are under 16. In these situations, being seen in person is the safest option, and a clinic can help arrange it.
If PDPT is appropriate, your clinician discusses the ways of notifying and treating partners, and if you agree it’s the right choice, provides the treatment (or a script) for you to give your partner, along with a written information sheet. You pass the treatment and information to your partner. The sheet explains what it’s for, how to take it, what to avoid, and when to see a doctor instead. It’s simple, discreet and quick.
They should take the treatment as directed (a single dose for chlamydia), read the information sheet and not take it if any caution applies (such as an allergy or possible pregnancy — see a clinician instead), avoid sex for 7 days after both partners are treated, and ideally get their own sexual health check too. They should see a doctor rather than relying on the tablet if they have symptoms, are pregnant, have an allergy, or are unsure.
Yes, ideally. PDPT treats the chlamydia, but it isn’t a substitute for a full sexual health check, which can pick up other infections a partner may not know they have. So while PDPT is a great way to get a partner treated quickly, encouraging them to also have their own check-up is worthwhile. The two aren’t mutually exclusive — a partner can take the treatment and still get tested.
Both you and your partner should avoid sex for 7 days after you’ve each been treated. This is important — having sex before both of you have completed treatment and waited the seven days is a common way chlamydia gets passed back and forth. Waiting the full seven days after both partners are treated is what breaks that cycle and keeps the infection from returning.
Besides PDPT, you can tell partners yourself and suggest they get tested and treated, use clinic-assisted notification (where the clinic helps you work out how), or use anonymous notification services — websites and tools that send a partner an anonymous message suggesting they get checked, if you’d rather not tell them directly. A clinician can talk you through these. The goal is simply that partners get treated, however that best happens.
A repeat chlamydia test about three months after treatment is recommended. This isn’t to check the treatment worked — it almost always does — but to catch reinfection early, which is common. Treating your partner properly, through PDPT or another route, and both of you avoiding sex for 7 days after treatment, is the best way to prevent that reinfection in the first place.
Yes. PDPT for chlamydia is supported by Victorian health authorities as one of a range of recognised options for treating the partners of people diagnosed with chlamydia, with clinical guidance for practitioners on using it appropriately. Your clinician will decide with you whether it’s the right choice in your situation, and can also explain the other partner notification options available.
