The AMA in association with four other leading national organizations—the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA), the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)— has released a joint statement encouraging state-level action to reduce the legal and regulatory barriers that currently restrict access to sterile syringes in nearly every state.

Additionally, at its Annual Meeting held in June 2000, the AMA also adopted the following statement as policy:

"That the American Medical Association strongly supports the ability of physicians to prescribe syringes and needles to patients with injection drug addiction in conjunction with addiction counseling in order to help prevent the transmission of contagious diseases."

A report in the Aug. 1, 2000 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine emphasized the important role in preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens that physicians can play by providing sterile syringe access through the prescription of sterile syringes to patients who use injection drugs and cannot or will not enter drug treatment. The article also states that "Prescribing and dispensing injection equipment are ethical, clinically appropriate, and fully consistent with current public health guidelines on diseae prevention."

Approximately one third of all AIDS cases and half of all hepatitis C cases are directly or indirectly linked to injection drug use. There are compelling data indicating that the transmission of these diseases and other deadly bloodborne pathogens can be reduced if drug users who continue to inject use a new, sterile syringe each time.

Unfortunately, there are legal and regulatory barriers to the pharmacy sales of sterile syringes to intravenous drug users, including prescription and drug paraphernalia laws and pharmacy regulations on syringe sales. Coordinated efforts of state leaders in pharmacy, public health, and medicine will be needed to address access to sterile syringes as a means of preventing further transmission of blood-borne diseases. The joint statement was issued to address this important public health problem.

American Bar Association also urges elimination of barriers to syringe access

The American Bar Association (ABA) also recognizes the important public health benefits of better access to sterile syringes for intravenous drug users. On Jan 28, 2000, the ABA sent a letter (PDF, 58KB) to their state and local bar presidents and executive directors urging them to work jointly the local health organizations to eliminate the barriers to syringe access. This letter was accompanied by the joint statement issued by the AMA, APhA, ASTHO, NABP, and NASTAD.

For more information, please contact:

L.J Tan, PhD
Director, Infectious Diseases
American Medical Association
515 North State Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
(312) 464-4147
(312) 464-5841 Fax
litjen_tan@ama-assn.org

Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal. This link will take you off the AMA Web site. The AMA is not responsible for the content of other Web sites.

Privacy Statement | Advertise with us
Copyright 1995-2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.