Starting this Sunday, September 1st, it is possible to be tested without a prescription for four sexually transmitted infections in addition to HIV. A free service for those under 26 only but accessible to all.
Another step in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). As of this Sunday, September 1, it is now possible to carry out screening without a prescription (and free for young people under 26) for four new STIs in medical biology laboratories. These include hepatitis B, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea. These infections, which are among the most common, are bacterial diseases that can be cured when diagnosed. Until now, only HIV screening was available without a prescription and free of charge in the laboratory.
The measure launched this September, called “my STI test”, was announced in September 2022 and included in the Social Security financing bill for 2023. It aims to strengthen the fight against STIs, while an increase in them was observed between 2021 and 2023. In March 2024, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned of the situation. For example, in 2022, cases of gonorrhea increased by 48% (70,881 cases in the European Union). The same observation applies to syphilis and chlamydia, with 34% (35,391 cases) and 16% (216,508 cases) additional patients. Who can get tested, where, for which diseases… Liberation explains to you how this new device works.
How does it work?
In concrete terms, any patient, regardless of age, can go to a laboratory from September 1st to be screened for hepatitis B, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea, without a prescription. On site, you simply need to fill out a self-questionnaire to define the screening procedures, which can be done by local sampling, urine analysis or blood test. In any case, there is no need to go through the doctor, gynecologist or midwife beforehand.
If the result is positive for one or more STIs, the patient is informed and referred to healthcare professionals for treatment.
Who is reimbursed?
For those under 26, the examination is 100% covered by health insurance. Outside this age group, screening is possible without a prescription, but not free. To be reimbursed if you are over 26, a prescription is therefore still necessary.
However, other systems exist outside of laboratories. The Information, Screening and Diagnostic Centers (Cegidd) allow everyone, regardless of age, to be screened free of charge and anonymously.
HIV testing has been covered for everyone since 2022, without a prescription or upfront payment.
What is it for?
These diseases do not always cause symptoms to those who carry them. It is therefore recommended to have regular screenings, with or without visible signs of infection. With this new measure, the aim is to «[renforcer] still the arsenal of prevention tools available”, as well as his desire to “promote the sexual health of the entire population and reduce the transmission of infections”, wrote the Ministry of Health in a press release.
Prevention is all the more necessary as it comes against a backdrop of increasing STIs in Europe. Just a few days ago, on Thursday 29 August, a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlighted another alarming trend. According to data obtained from more than 242,000 15-year-olds in 42 countries, condom use is declining among European adolescents. In 2022, 61% of boys reported using a condom during their last sexual encounter, compared to 70% in 2014. The same is true for teenage girls. The proportion of them who used a condom during their last sexual encounter fell from 63% in 2014 to 57% in 2022.
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