Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.
Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
J Gen Intern Med. 2023 Jun;38(8):1980-1983. doi: 10.1007/s11606-023-08183-7. Epub 2023 Apr 5.
Access to new syringes can reduce the risk of HIV and hepatitis C transmission, skin and soft tissue infections, and infectious endocarditis for people who inject drugs (PWID). Syringe service programs (SSPs) and other harm reduction programs are a good source of syringes. However, they are sometimes not accessible due to limited hours, geographic barriers, and other factors. In this perspective, we argue that when PWID faces barriers to syringes physicians and other providers should prescribe, and pharmacists should dispense, syringes to decrease health risks associated with syringe re-use. This strategy is endorsed by professional organizations and is legally permissible in most states. Such prescribing has numerous benefits, including insurance coverage of the cost of syringes and the sense of legitimacy conveyed by a prescription. We discuss these benefits as well as the legality of prescribing and dispensing syringes and address practical considerations such as type of syringe, quantity, and relevant diagnostic codes, if required. In the face of an unprecedented overdose crisis with many associated health harms, we also make the case for advocacy to change state and federal laws to make access to prescribed syringes uniform, smooth, and universal as part of a suite of harm reduction efforts.
新注射器的获取可以降低注射吸毒者（PWID）感染艾滋病毒和丙型肝炎、皮肤和软组织感染以及感染性心内膜炎的风险。注射器服务项目（SSP）和其他减少伤害项目是注射器的良好来源。然而，由于服务时间有限、地理位置障碍和其他因素，有时无法获得注射器。从这个角度来看，我们认为，当 PWID 面临注射器获取障碍时，医生和其他提供者应开出处方，药剂师应分发注射器，以降低与注射器重复使用相关的健康风险。这种策略得到了专业组织的认可，在大多数州都是合法的。这种处方有许多好处，包括注射器成本的保险覆盖以及处方带来的合法性。我们讨论了这些好处以及开处方和分发注射器的合法性，并讨论了一些实际考虑因素，如注射器类型、数量和相关诊断代码（如果需要）。在面临前所未有的过量危机和许多相关健康危害的情况下，我们还主张倡导修改州和联邦法律，以使获得规定的注射器成为减少伤害工作的一部分，变得统一、顺畅和普及。
