For Monday, Oct. 2, WGN’s Dina Bair has new medical information, including:

CDC recommends antibiotic to prevent STIs

The CDC has made a new recommendation to prevent sexually transmitted infections. 

For the first time, the health agency says doctors should consider giving the potent antibiotic Doxycycline after sex to stop the spread of some STIs.

The approach, dubbed ‘Doxy-prep’ for short, comes after growing research that the antibiotic effectively prevents bacterial infections from taking root in the days after exposure. 

The recommendations are open for comment for 45 days. 

A final version will be drafted next year. 

Warning about artificial sweetener erythritol

There’s a new warning about an artificial sweetener.  

A study in the Nature Medicine journal linked the sugar replacement erythritol to severe health risks, including blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death. 

Erythritol is used to add bulk or sweeten Stevia, monkfruit and keto-reduced sugar products.  

The lead author says the degree of risk was not modest.

CNN reached out to the Calorie Control Council for a response. The industry association says the study contradicts decades of scientific research showing that reduced-calorie sweeteners, like erythritol, are safe.  

FDA seeks oversight of lab-developed tests

The FDA has proposed a rule change regarding laboratory-developed tests, essential in healthcare decisions.  

The agency already approves many tests for blood, saliva, or tissue used by hospitals and labs. But, it also gives individual labs leeway to develop and use their tests in-house if they meet specific standards. 

The FDA wants more oversight over them now, citing years of concerns.  

It’s worried patients could initiate unnecessary treatment or delay or forego proper treatment altogether based on inaccurate test results. 

Pink tax hurts women’s healthcare

A new report says women are paying what’s become known as the “pink” tax for their healthcare. 

It refers to women spending more out of pocket than men. 

According to a financial services firm Deloitte study, women’s out-of-pocket expenditures are 18% higher. If maternity care is included, it’s 20 percent. 

Another new study by the Susan G. Komen organization finds the high cost of breast cancer treatment is a significant burden on women, adding that it may hurt the success of their treatment. 

Sometimes, patients are forced to dip into savings, borrow money, or put bills on credit cards.