Can You Get an STI Test or Treatment at a Pharmacy in Australia?
October 13, 2026
For a lot of people, the hardest part of an STI test isn’t the test. It’s the worry about who might find out: a parent who shares your Medicare card, a partner who sees a text, a GP you’ve known since childhood, or an app that now shows your results before you’ve even spoken to a doctor.
The good news is that STI testing in Australia is confidential, and you have more control over your information than most people realise. This guide explains, in plain language, who can see what, and the simple steps that keep your sexual health private.
Medically reviewed by Dr Vafa Derakshan (MBBS, FRACGP). Last reviewed 10 October 2026. Details were checked against official Australian government and health service websites in September 2026. Rules can change, so check the linked sources if something matters for your situation.
The short version
- Your doctor and the lab keep your results confidential. Health information is protected under Australian privacy law and isn’t shared with your family, partner, employer or school without your consent, apart from limited legal exceptions.
- Medicare records show that you had a service, not your results. From age 14, parents can no longer see your Medicare claims history online, and from 15 you can have your own Medicare card.
- My Health Record changed in July 2026. Pathology labs must now upload most results by default, and many results can be viewed straight away. You can ask for a result not to be uploaded, and you can restrict, hide or remove it later.
- Certain STIs are reported to the health department to track infections in the community. This doesn’t make anything public.
- You can tell partners anonymously using free notification services.
Who can see what: a quick guide
| Who | What they might see | How to keep it private |
|---|---|---|
| Parents (you’re under 14 and on their Medicare card) | That you had a Medicare-funded appointment or test, but not why or the results | From 14 they lose online access to your claims; from 15 you can get your own card |
| Anyone who uses your phone or email | Texts about results, a pathology request, booking confirmations | Use a phone and email only you can access; lock your phone |
| Other doctors and health services | Results uploaded to your My Health Record | Ask for the result not to be uploaded, or restrict or remove it |
| Health department | A report of certain infections, used to track them in the community | Required by law; it isn’t shared with your family, employer or the public |
| Employer, school or university | Nothing, unless you give consent | Your doctor needs your consent to share, apart from limited exceptions |
| Sexual partners | Only what you (or a notification service) tell them | Anonymous SMS or email services are available |
Medicare: what shows up and who can see it
When a consult or test is bulk billed, it’s claimed through Medicare. Your Medicare claims history records that a service happened, such as a doctor’s appointment or a pathology test, and who provided it. It doesn’t include your test results or what you talked about.
This matters most for young people still on a family Medicare card:
- Under 14: a parent listed on the card can see the child’s Medicare claims history online. As the Royal Children’s Hospital puts it, parents might see that you went to the doctor, but they won’t see why.
- From 14: parents no longer have online access to the young person’s Medicare claims history.
- From 15: you can get your own Medicare card. You can either move off the family card completely, or get your own card while staying on the family one.
If you’re 14 or older, you can generally see a doctor on your own and your health information stays confidential. Doctors can only share it without your consent in limited situations, such as a serious risk to your safety or someone else’s.
For eligible Medicare card holders, our consults and Medicare-covered tests are bulk billed, so there’s no out-of-pocket cost. If you don’t have Medicare, see our fees or the free public options in our state-by-state guide.
My Health Record: the July 2026 changes
My Health Record is the national online health summary that most Australians have unless they opted out. Two recent changes are worth knowing about if you’re having an STI or HIV test:
- Upload by default. Since July 2026, pathology providers must upload most reports to My Health Record, usually within 24 hours of sending them to your doctor, unless an exception applies.
- Faster viewing. Most pathology reports, such as blood and urine tests, can be viewed in My Health Record or the 1800MEDICARE app as soon as they’re uploaded. This means you might see a result before your doctor has had a chance to talk it through with you.
You still have control:
- Ask for a result not to be uploaded. You (or your representative) can ask that a particular report isn’t uploaded, and the provider must keep a record of that request. The easiest time to ask is during your consult, before the test is ordered.
- Restrict access. You can set documents to restricted access and use a Limited Document Access Code, so only the health services you give the code to can open them.
- Hide or remove a document later if you change your mind.
- Some results may not be uploaded anyway, for example where state or territory laws limit uploads of certain results, or where your details don’t match your record.
For young people: until age 14, a parent or guardian is automatically an authorised representative on a child’s My Health Record. When a child turns 14, all representatives are removed. They can then choose to give a parent access again.
Whatever your settings, book a follow-up so you understand what a result means rather than guessing from a lab report.
Reporting to the health department
Some STIs are “notifiable”. This means the doctor or lab must report a positive result to the state or territory health department. Notifiable STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV. Herpes, genital warts, bacterial vaginosis and thrush generally aren’t.
Notification exists to track infections and outbreaks, not to track you. According to healthdirect, the data used for national reporting is de-identified: it includes details such as your age, sex and postcode, but not your name. Nothing about you becomes public, and it isn’t passed on to your family or employer. For some infections, public health staff may contact your doctor to make sure treatment and partner follow-up are going smoothly.
Telling partners, without telling them it was you
If you test positive for some STIs, letting recent partners know helps them get tested and treated, and stops the infection being passed back to you. Many people find this the hardest step. Free services can do it for you:
- Let Them Know sends an anonymous SMS or email to partners, and doesn’t collect the sender’s name or phone number. It covers chlamydia, gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma genitalium, syphilis and trichomoniasis.
- The Drama Downunder offers a similar free, confidential service for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, and lets you choose whether the message says it’s from you.
Your doctor can also help you work out who needs to be told and how far back to go.
Practical tips for a discreet test
- Check your contact details. Results notifications, pathology requests and booking confirmations go to the phone number and email you give. Use ones only you can access.
- Choose where you test. With an electronic pathology request, you can go to any collection centre, not just the one near home or work.
- Say what you want at the start. If you don’t want results in My Health Record, or you’re under 18 and worried about your parents finding out, tell the doctor. They can explain your options.
- Consider a self-test for HIV. Free HIV self-tests are available if you’re 18 or over. See our guide to at-home STI tests.
- Know your public options. Public sexual health clinics are confidential, and many are free and don’t need a Medicare card. See where to get an STI test.
Frequently asked questions
Will my parents find out if I get an STI test?
Not from your doctor, unless you agree or there’s a serious safety concern. If you’re under 14 and on a parent’s Medicare card, they may see that you had an appointment or test in the claims history, but not why or the result. From 14 they can’t see your claims history online, and from 15 you can get your own Medicare card.
Can my employer or university find out?
Not from your doctor. A health service needs your consent to share your health information, apart from limited legal exceptions. Your results aren’t sent to your employer, school or university.
Will my STI results go on My Health Record?
Probably, if you have a record and don’t say otherwise. Since July 2026, most pathology results are uploaded by default. You can ask for a result not to be uploaded, or restrict, hide or remove it later.
Can I get tested anonymously?
A Medicare-funded test needs your name and Medicare details, but it’s still confidential. Free HIV self-tests are available if you’re 18 or over, and public sexual health clinics are a good option if you don’t want to use Medicare.
I’m worried about a possible HIV exposure but don’t want anyone to know. What should I do?
Act quickly and confidentially. PEP must be started within 72 hours of the exposure, and the sooner the better. Book an urgent PEP consult or go to a hospital emergency department. It will be treated as confidential health care like any other.
Private, bulk-billed STI testing from home
Our doctors see patients by phone or video, Australia-wide, usually the same day. Consults and Medicare-eligible tests are bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders. You test at a collection centre of your choice and get a text when your results are in. Book your online STI test.
Sources: Australian Digital Health Agency: Better and Faster Access; Australian Digital Health Agency: restrict access to documents; Australian Digital Health Agency: a child’s record; ASHM: changes to My Health Record; Services Australia: when your child turns 14; Services Australia: when your child turns 15; Royal Children’s Hospital: privacy and health care; NSW Health: confidentiality fact sheet; OAIC: handling health information; healthdirect: notification of illness and disease; Let Them Know; The Drama Downunder. This article is general information, not personal medical advice.
