New Push to Help GPs Spot Syphilis Earlier
23 Mar 2026
The campaign comes after a survey of more than 800 Australian healthcare workers found that 54% are not confident about when to test for syphilis, and only 38% feel it is their role to raise sexual health with patients.
While 88% said they can test or refer patients for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), just 21% said they regularly talk about sexual health in consultations.
This is happening even after Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Michael Kidd, declared syphilis a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance in 2025.
In response, the Stop Syphilis campaign has been launched to support GPs and other healthcare workers with practical tools for early detection and testing.
GP and sexual health researcher Dr Karen Freilich said routine STI screening should include blood tests for both syphilis and HIV, even when patients have no symptoms.
The campaign provides resources such as a clinical indicator tool, management guidelines, and a decision-making tool to support healthcare professionals.
Syphilis cases in Australia have nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 4,779 cases in 2015 to 8,995 in 2025. In 2026 so far, 1,651 cases have been reported.
Dr Freilich said the campaign aims to remind GPs that syphilis is increasing and often shows no symptoms, making regular testing important for sexually active patients, as well as those who are pregnant or planning pregnancy.
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
(Source: newsGP)