Refused a free GGD STI test? Your options

You wanted to arrange it properly through the GGD, you filled in the questionnaire, and at the end it said you do not qualify. Confusing, because you thought STI testing at the GGD was free for everyone. That is not quite true, and it is not your fault. The GGD has a limited budget and focuses on groups at increased risk. Fall outside that and you are politely referred on, usually to your GP.

Let us set something straight: a refusal does not mean you do not need a check. It only means the GGD does not classify your situation as high risk for their specific programme. Your health and your peace of mind are separate from that. And you have more routes than you think.

Turned down by the GGD? You can always arrange an anonymous STI test at a private lab yourself, regardless of your age or risk group.

Why the GGD can turn you down

The GGD runs its STI clinic as a supplement to your GP, aimed at people whose chance of an STI or of onward transmission is higher. The RIVM describes how the centres for sexual health prioritise, among others, people under 25, men who have sex with men, people with symptoms and those warned by a partner. Anyone without symptoms who falls outside these groups is often referred to their GP. That is policy, not a judgement of you.

An important detail: if you do have symptoms, such as discharge, burning when you urinate or a bump, you often do qualify at the GGD after all, and testing is wise either way. If you are unsure whether your symptom fits an STI, read for example about burning when you urinate. The questionnaire steers strictly, and people who do not fully understand the criteria are sometimes turned down unfairly. So it is worth filling in your situation honestly and completely.

GGD, GP or arranging it yourself: what fits after a refusal?

The table below helps you choose based on what weighs heaviest for you: cost, privacy or speed.

Option 1: your GP

Your GP can always test, even without symptoms. Bear in mind that an STI test at your GP goes on your medical record and that lab costs may be charged to your insurance excess. Soa Aids Nederland stresses that testing with symptoms or after a risk contact is important, and the GP is an accessible and expert route for that. If you want to know exactly what is recorded, read whether an STI test goes on your medical record.

Option 2: arranging a test yourself

If you want quick clarity without an appointment and without it ending up in a record, a test you arrange yourself online is a full-fledged route. Your sample is taken at an ordinary collection point near you, and the analysis uses the same techniques your GP uses. For a broad check, choose a STI screen for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomonas. With a targeted suspicion, for example after contact with someone who tested positive for chlamydia, a standalone chlamydia check or HIV check may be enough. If you are unsure which, use our guide on which STI test you need when.

What is free really worth to you?

The GGD is free, and for many people that is decisive. But free comes with conditions here: you have to qualify, there can be a wait, and your data is registered with the GGD. The GP is accessible, but may charge your insurance excess and put it in your file. A self-arranged test costs you a fixed amount, but delivers speed and privacy. So it is not a question of expensive or cheap, but of what weighs heaviest for you in this situation. Someone who only wants reassurance and has no symptoms often chooses differently from someone who wants quick certainty after a clear risk.

A sober stance: do not let price be the reason you do not test at all. An untreated STI costs more in the long run, in health and sometimes in fertility, than any test route.

Do test at the right moment

A refusal should not be a reason to test too early or not at all. Thuisarts.nl notes that a test is only reliable once the window period for the infection has passed. Test too soon after a possible risk and the result can be false-negative. So check how long after sex you can test before you pick a route.

Want to read on? The main guide to collection point or home test explains how the routes compare. Useful when the GGD turns you away: an STI test without an appointment or a place to test anonymously.

Whatever route you take, a test confirms or rules out an infection but does not replace medical advice. With symptoms or doubt, talk to a doctor or the GGD.