Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is praising Governor Doyle’s signing of legislation that aims to curb the “skyrocketing” STD problem in Wisconsin, according to the groups’ Public Policy Director Chris Taylor. Doyle signed a bill this week that allow physicians to prescribe antibiotics to treat common STD’s not only to a patient, but their partner as well.
The diseases covered under the new law are chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis.
Taylor says the State Medical Examining Board requested the bill believing more physicians wanted to prescribe for the patients’ partners but they were concerned about the legality of doing so. She says the measure is in accordance with the CDC’s recommendation of STD treatment.
Doyle signature this week caps off what Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin considers this the most “historic women’s health agenda ever” in the legislature.
Chris Taylor (1:16)
Other legislation praised provides comprehensive sex education in schools, requires pharmacies to have someone on staff to dispense birth control and mandates insurers to cover contraception in their drug benefits.
The measures have not been without controversy. The sex ed bill, also known as the Healthy Youth Act, received plenty of opposition during its time in public hearings.
