Pharmacistsʼ Attitudes About Pharmacy Sale of Needles/Syringes and Needle Exchange Programs in a City Without Needle/Syringe Prescription Laws

A Syringe Prescription Program to Prevent Infectious Disease and Improve Health of Injection Drug Users

“…Pharmacy associations, corporations, and individual pharmacists retain considerable discretion with regard to sales of nonprescribed syringes. 44 Many pharmacists are eager to contribute their valuable services to preventing the spread of HIV; others have concerns about providing syringes to IDUs and may refuse service or make additional requirements (such as showing identification) for customers they think are IDUs. 40,45 Physician-Patient Relationship Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the program is that the relationship between the physicians and patients encompassed an acknowledgement of the patients' drug use.…”

Healthy People 2010: Challenges, Opportunities, and a Call to Action for America's Pharmacists

“…17,254,255 Pharmacists are also willing to participate in programs that provide sterile syringes and needles to those who take intravenous drugs, in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among this group. 18,256,257 Finally, the accessibility of pharmacists in the community can contribute to the promotion of safer health practices among underserved populations and adolescents.…”

“…Lack of clarity in needle and syringe prescription laws creates a diversity of approaches and attitudes among pharmacists toward nonprescription needle and syringe sales. 257 Most of the practitioners heavily involved in the care of HIV-infected individuals are in academic or government settings. Extending this practice to more practitioners in community and nonacademic hospital settings is desirable.…”

Update and Overview of Practical Epidemiologic Aspects of HIV/AIDS among Injection Drug Users in the United States

“…The ability to buy syringes from a pharmacy varies widely, according to individual practitioners_ or pharmacists_ beliefs and laws regulating pharmacy sale of syringes. [91][92][93] The highest numbers of SEPs are in California (24), Washington (14), New Mexico (13), New York (12), Wisconsin (8) and Oregon (6). In 2000, 22,558,235 syringes were exchanged in the United States.…”