University of Arizona

Dr. Beth Meyerson

Newly released data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia have all been trending upward over the past few years — the first two more than the third.

Arizona had the highest rate of cases in which pregnant mothers pass syphilis on to their newborns.

The CDC is working on guidelines for using an antibiotic called doxycycline as a kind of morning-after pill, that people could use after having sex without using a condom. Recent studies have shown it’s effective at reducing these sexually transmitted infections in many people — but notably, not cisgender, heterosexual women.

The Show talked about the use of doxycycline with Dr. Beth Meyerson, a professor in family and community medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson. She also directs the Harm Reduction Research Lab and is on the National Board of the American STD Association.

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