Syringe Distribution Programs Can Improve Public Health During the Opioid Overdose Crisis
2021
This brief from Pew highlights the importance of syringe distribution programs in the portfolio of broader responses to the opioid crisis in the United States. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk of contracting a severe infection or transmitting diseases, including hepatitis C virus and HIV. To reduce the risks associated with injection drug use, state governments are encouraged to provide PWID with free sterile equipment in conjunction with other interventions such as vaccinations, education programs, and naloxone. Decades of research have shown that implementing these programs reduces overdose-related hospital admissions and prevents HIV and HCV infections at a relatively low cost. This brief explains what a Syringe Service Program is, the importance of changing drug paraphernalia laws, how to fund the programs, and how to facilitate engagement with treatment.
Syringe Distribution Programs Can Improve Public Health During the Opioid Overdose Crisis
Source:
Syringe Distribution Programs Can Improve Public Health During the Opioid Overdose Crisis. Pew 2021. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2021/03/syringe-distribution-programs-can-improve-public-health-during-the-opioid-overdose-crisis.