HAS wants the healthcare professional or a third party to be able to inform a patient’s partner with the patient’s consent.
Interrupt the chains of transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections
Change the legislation in order to interrupt the chains of transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections, also called STIs. The High Authority for Health (HAS) wants the sexual partners of a patient affected by an STI to be informed.
The sexual partners of a patient affected by an STI informed
For this, the HAS asks to change the legislative framework in terms of professional secrecy for doctors, a ‘professional secrecy’ which hinders the possibilities of information for partners: “The objective is to offer the patient in whom an STI is diagnosed the possibility of choosing the way of informing his partner(s) and thus encouraging the initiation of a notification process.“, specifies the HAS.
In its opinion, the High Authority for Health adds: ‘The idea would be for the healthcare professional or a third party to be able to inform the partner of a patient with the patient’s consent, which is currently not permitted.‘.
Obtaining a prescription for the benefit of a partner, without prior consultation with the latter
It would be necessary, specifies the HAS, that “the partner can benefit from an accelerated treatment of partners (TAP)”. The TAP allows the patient diagnosed with an STI to obtain a prescription for the benefit of a partner, without prior consultation with the latter. This possibility would allow partners to be treated as soon as possible, especially in the absence of symptoms and thus encourage the patient to notify his partner”.
Finally, the HAS insists on the fact that the notification must be carried out without delay if the risk of transmission or of severe consequences for the partner(s) is high.