INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller commended local officials in Clark County today for moving forward to implement a syringe exchange to help reduce needle sharing among drug abusers that is fueling the HIV and hepatitis C crises in Indiana.
On Thursday, Clark County commissioners approved a request to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to begin a local syringe exchange. Before the request will be considered by ISDH, Clark County must also submit a plan for the implementation and evaluation of the syringe exchange. Clark County Health Officer Dr. Kevin Burke recommended a syringe exchange following his recent declaration of a health emergency in Clark County, noting that the county has 25 percent more HIV infections and 35 percent more hepatitis C infections than state averages.
To date, state health officials have approved syringe exchange programs in Scott and Madison counties.
“The hard work of Dr. Burke and the decision by the commissioners demonstrate an example of courageously confronting a public health emergency, and I applaud the leadership shown by all involved,†said Zoeller, who co-chairs the Indiana Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force. “I join local and state law enforcement and others in the criminal justice system who combat the scourge of drugs every day and recognize the unique and tragic circumstances that necessitate this action. Hopefully the courage shown today in Clark County and previously by Scott and Madison counties will encourage officials in other affected counties to take action.â€
The Task Force is made up of approximately 120 members including doctors, pharmacists, health officials, treatment providers and law enforcement all committed to reducing prescription drug abuse in Indiana.
The HIV outbreak in Southern Indiana, which began in Scott County, is linked to intravenous abuse of the prescription drug Opana through use of shared needles that can also transmit the HIV virus through cross-contamination. In Scott County, 175 people have now tested positive for HIV. Burke said he has seen the same warning signs in Clark County, which neighbors Scott County, including a rise in drug overdose deaths.
“We are making important progress to get a syringe exchange in place to respond to this local health crisis,” Burke said. “My office is developing a plan which will contain specifics on how the program will be implemented and evaluated to ensure success, help stop the spread of disease and hopefully save lives.”
In response to the HIV crisis, the Indiana General Assembly approved legislation during the 2015 session that authorizes ISDH to approve syringe exchanges in at-risk counties on a continuing basis, so long as the county meets certain requirements.
Zoeller was vocal in his support of the syringe exchange legislation as part of his role on the Task Force, noting the consensus among medical experts that providing clean syringes is the fastest way to halt further spread of a virus from infected individuals to non-infected ones. Additionally, syringe exchange programs help bring participants into screening and treatment programs for hepatitis C and HIV, as well as substance abuse.
“Though syringe exchanges are key in halting the spread of disease, we must address the rampant prescription drug abuse at the root of this crisis and that includes getting people access to addiction treatment,†Zoeller said.
For more information on the Task Force’s efforts to reduce prescription drug abuse and resources for the public, visit www.BitterPill.in.gov. The website also provides information on syringe exchanges and resources to help counties looking to implement a program. Click on the “Harm Reduction†tab on the website.
