Increase Access to Syringe Exchange Programs

Introductory Paragraph

Needle exchange programs (NEPs) are programs which distribute sanitized needles in exchange for contaminated or used needles. NEPs reduce the spread of blood borne diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C.

Key Information

Many organizations have endorsed needle exchange including NIH (National Institute of Health), CDC (Center for Disease Control), the American Bar Association, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization and others. The NIH estimates that in the United States, between fifteen and twenty percent of injection drug users have HIV and at least seventy percent have hepatitis C. As such sharing needles has become the most common mode of HIV transmission among injection drug users (IDUs). In addition, used syringes and needles are a potential biohazard within which users primarily reside, and beyond it as well. Harm reduction services such as the provision of sterile needles and syringes can effectively prevent hepatitis C and HIV transmission among people who inject drugs, provided they are accessible and delivered at the required scale.

Importance for Harm Reduction Practice and Education

Needle exchange programs help educate and inform injection drug users regarding injection practices, safety steps, non-sharing behavior, and other risk reduction methods. “The need for and value of targeted education and behavior modification efforts directed at injection drug users at risk of HIV transmission have been clearly demonstrated in programs that do not include needle exchange (Wiebel et al., 1993).”

Needle exchanges and safe injection sites have decades of evidence behind them - but not public support.

Relevant Research

Needle exchanges have been estimated to be a cost effective prevention practice. An analysis of the cost-effectiveness of a New York City needle syringe exchange estimated that the program would result in a baseline one year savings to the government of $1,300 to $3,000 per client. Another analysis by the CDC approximated that increasing access to clean syringes through an additional annual U.S. investment of $10 million would lead to:

• 194 HIV infections averted in one year 
• And A lifetime treatment cost savings of $75.8 million which would be a return on investment of $7.58 for every $1 spent 

Do Needle Exchanges Increase Drug Injection Rates?

A review of needle exchange done by the office of the Surgeon General and the assistant secretary for health found that needle exchange did not cause an increase in drug injection, but rather typically led to a decrease in injection rates when these programs were used.

Another study sought to answer the question "is the number of needles distributed from needle exchange programs proportionate to the number of needles returned to needle exchange programs?" It was found that in the United States the return rate was on average over 90% (~315,000 needles distributed and ~283,000 needles returned). 

This finding has been further substantiated by another review which found that supplying IDUs (Injecting Drug Users) with clean or sanitized needles does not lead to more "dirty" needles in a community. 

Promising Practices

There are currently several different models for syringe exchanges that have different advantages and limitations. The models include:

Primary and Secondary Needle and Syringe Programs:

• They are fixed sites that are typically located in areas with high levels of injecting drug use.
• They can be located in many different areas such as community centers, pharmacies, or specialized voluntary counselling and testing centers.
• Those who attend will be able to receive clean paraphernalia and safely dispose of used paraphernalia. 

Mobile or On-Call Service:

• Mobile programs operate from a van or bus with clean needles that are distributed.
  • Larger mobile programs typically provide testing and other healthcare services and operate along regular reoutes at fixed times, often at night at times when increased use occurs.
  • Mobile services can also be smaller and choose to target specific populations.
• Typically, mobile programs are more accessible to injection drug users and face less opposition from a community. 

Dispensing Machine Distribution

• A newer strategy, countries in Europe as well as Australia have begun to use syringe vending machines in addition to other forms of NSPs.
• Syringe vending machines work through the use of non-currency tokens, that are distributed by outreach workers for injection drug users to use in return for harm reduction packs. An example of what is included in Australia’s machines are needles and syringes as well as alcohol swabs, cotton wool, sterile water and spoons. Others sometimes contain educational materials.
• Typically, these machines act in conjunction with fixed sites that are meant to provide needles and syringes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• A clinical trial has found that this strategy can be highly effective for reaching populations who are most marginalized or otherwise hard to reach.

Peer Service Distribution Networks

• Peer-based strategy, is a process where clients of needle exchanges provide service to their peers, distributing of needles, syringes, and associated injection equipment.
• These clients are trained to assist peers access exchangers, distribute information about safer drug use and safer sex, and facilitate referrals to other health services.
• This model, in addition to disseminating safer practices and helping make needle exchange programs reach a larger population, may have a psychological impact and help make interventions more effective. 

Prison-Based Facilities

• Still a newly developing practice, only used in 3 of 24 UN countries that have needle exchange programs for the public.
• High need because prison populations have higher cases of Hepatitis C and HIV than the average population. 

Success Stories

Scott County, Indianna

Before Scott County set up its syringe exchange (plus more) program in 2015, the rural county in Indiana was seeing 10-20 new HIV cases every week. Almost immediately after, the number of new cases was slowed to 1-2 a month

Miami, Florida

“In three years of operation, Miami's pilot program has pulled more than a quarter million used needles out of circulation, according to reports the program filed with the Florida Department of Health.” By handing out Narcan as well at the needle exchange, it has helped prevent more than a thousand overdoses. The program also offers clients testing for HIV and hepatitis C and connects people to medical care and rehabilitation services. 

Philidelphia, Pennsylvania

A case study found that Prevention Point, a needle exchange located in Philadelphia helped prevent 10,000 People From Contracting HIV Over 10 Years. The researchers from George Washington University estimate that the total lifetime taxpayer savings from this needle exchange averting 10,000 cases of HIV saved them $1.8 billion. 

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