Physician Prescribing of Sterile Injection Equipment to Prevent HIV Infection: Time for Action

Posted: 6 Dec 2000

See all articles by Scott Burris

Scott Burris

Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law

Peter Lurie

Public Citizen Health Research Group

Daniel Abrahamson

Independent

Josiah D. Rich

Brown University - School of Medicine

Abstract

Injection drug users, their sex partners, and their children are at high risk for acquiring HIV infection and other bloodborne diseases. The risk for disease transmission in the United States is partly the result of restricted access to sterile injection equipment. Physicians and pharmacists can play an important role in providing syringe access by prescribing and dispensing syringes to patients who use injection drugs and cannot or will not enter drug treatment. Prescribing and dispensing injection equipment are ethical, clinically appropriate, and fully consistent with current public health guidelines and disease prevention. An analysis of the laws of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico finds that physicians in nearly all these jurisdictions may legally prescribe sterile injection equipment to prevent disease transmission among drug-using patients and that pharmacies in most states have a clear or reasonable legal basis for filling the prescriptions. Given these medical and legal findings, physicians may wish to take a larger role in improving access to sterile injection equipment by prescribing this equipment for their patients where this practice is legal, and by joining efforts to change the law where it poses a barrier.

JEL Classification: K32

Suggested Citation

Burris, Scott C. and Lurie, Peter and Abrahamson, Daniel and Rich, Josiah D., Physician Prescribing of Sterile Injection Equipment to Prevent HIV Infection: Time for Action. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=241807

Scott C. Burris (Contact Author)

Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law ( email )

1719 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States
215-204-6576 (Phone)
215-204-1185 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.phlr.org

Peter Lurie

Public Citizen Health Research Group ( email )

1600 20th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
United States

Daniel Abrahamson

Independent

415-554-1900 (Phone)

Josiah D. Rich

Brown University - School of Medicine ( email )

Box G-MH
Providence, RI 02912
United States

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