Additional analysis is needed to understand the impetus behind the laws and to determine their direct impact on HCV incidence, including the impact of case reporting by
syringe exchange programs. Fourth, only Medicaid policy data for fee-for-service programs were considered; restrictions in Medicaid managed care programs might differ, other Medicaid barriers to treatment were not assessed, and the direct association between Medicaid sobriety requirements and the number of persons being treated in each state was not assessed.
Of the 874 persons who completed the questionnaire and identified themselves as IDUs, 603 (69%) reported obtaining most of their syringes from the
syringe exchange program. Of the 390 persons who completed the questionnaire and did not report a history of injection drug use, 287 (74%) reported other risk factors for HBV infection (e.g., sex with an IDU, multiple sex partners, being a man who has sex with men, or engaging in commercial sex work).
"We're particularly proud of two important grants in North Carolina and Florida to help establish the very first legal
syringe exchange programs in these states," Campbell says.
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Syringe exchange programs: While the opioid epidemic is driven by prescription opioids, the epidemic is transitioning to cheaper illicit opioids.
The committee said the Philippine government should instead adopt a 'right-to-health approach to drug abuse with harm reduction strategies, such as
syringe exchange programs; and increase the availability of treatment services that are evidence-based and respectful of the rights of drug users.'
"This evidence base has also supported and justified recent policy decisions in Kenya facilitating the development of harm-reduction interventions, including needle and
syringe exchange programs."
Unmet need for recommended preventive health services among clients of California
syringe exchange programs: Implications for quality improvement.
Since the 1980's,
syringe exchange programs have proliferated at the local level.
Just as San Franciscans responded in a timely and creative way to prevent high rates of HIV infection among drug injectors and their partners through early implementation of
syringe exchange programs, a similarly urgent strategy must be employed to counteract the dramatic increases in heroin overdoses, (1) while continuing to expand sterile injection equipment accessibility to prevent HIV and hepatitis C infections.