Abstract
In May 2000, New York State passed legislation permitting the sale, purchase, and possession of up to 10 needles and syringes (hereafter “syringes”) without a prescription, intended to reduce blood-borne pathogen transmission among injection drug users (IDUs). To obtain baseline data on pharmacists' attitudes and practices related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and IDUs, a telephone survey was administered to 130 pharmacists systematically selected in New York City. Less than half of pharmacists were aware of the new law; 49.6% were willing to or supported providing nonprescription sales of syringes to IDUs. Pharmacists in support tended to be less likely to consider customer appearance “very important.” Managing and supervising pharmacists were more likely than staff pharmacists to support syringe sales to IDUs. Managing and supervising pharmacists who stocked packs of 10 syringes and personal sharps disposal containers, pharmacists who supported syringe exchange in the pharmacy, and pharmacists who were willing to sell syringes to diabetics without a prescription were more likely to support syringe sales to IDUs. Syringe disposal was a prominent concern among all pharmacists. Those not in support of syringe sales to IDUs tended to be more likely to believe the practice would increase drug use. These data suggest the need for initiatives to address concerns about syringe disposal and tailored continuing education classes for pharmacists on HIV and viral hepatitis prevention among IDUs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.US HIV and AIDS Cases Reported Through December 1999 Year-End Edition. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2000:11(2):Table 5.
New York City Department of Health, Office of AIDS Surveillance.AIDS in the Boroughs and Neighborhoods of New York City. New York: New York City Department of Health; 1999.
New York City Department of Health, Office of AIDS Surveillance.Estimates of Persons Living with AIDS in New York City, 1999 Edition. New York: New York City Department of Health; 2000.
Des Jarlais DC, Marmor M, Paone D, et al. HIV incidence among injecting drug users in New York City syringe-exchange programmes.Lancet. 1996;348:987–991.
Normand J, Vlahov D, Moses LE, eds.Preventing HIV Transmission: the Role of Sterile Needles and Bleach. Washington, DC: National Academy of Medicine; 1995.
Holmberg S. The estimated prevalence and incidence of HIV in 96 large US metropolitan areas.Am J Public Health. 1996;86:642–654.
Des Jarlais DC, Marmor M, Friedman P, et al. HIV incidence among injection drug users in New York City, 1992–1997: evidence for a declining epidemic.Am J Public Health. 2000;90:352–359.
Lurie P, Gorsky R, Jones TS, Shomphe L. An economic analysis of needle exchange and pharmacy-based programs to increase sterile syringe availability for injection drug users.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1998;18(suppl 1):S126-S132.
Farley T. Survey on needle sales.La Morbid Rep. 1996;7(3):3.
Sheridan J, Strang J, Barber N, Glanz A. Role of community pharmacies in relation to HIV prevention and drug misuse: findings from the 1995 national survey in England and Wales.BMJ. 1996;313:272–274.
Meyers T, Cockerill R, Millson P, Rankin J, Worthington C.Canadian Community Pharmacies HIV/AIDS Prevention and Health Promotion: Result of a National Survey. Ottawa: Canadian Public Health Association; 1995.
National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.The Twin Epidemics of Substance Use and HIV. Washington, DC: National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; 1991.
Lurie P, Reingold A.The Public Health Impact of Needle Exchange Programs in the United States and Abroad [prepared for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]. Berkeley, CA: University of California, School of Public Health; San Francisco, CA: University of California, Institute for Health Policy Studies; 1993.
Office of Technology Assessment.The Effectiveness of AIDS Prevention Efforts. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1995.
Coffin PO. Syringe availability as HIV prevention: a review of the modalities.J Urban Health. 2000;77:302–326 (Table 2).
Linas BP, Coffin PO, Backes G, Vlahov D. New York State pharmacists' attitudes toward needle and syringe sales to injection drug users before implementation of syringe deregulation.J Urban Health. 77(4):768–780.
Groseclose SL, Weinstein B, Jones TS, Valleroy LA, Fehrs LJ, Kassler WJ. Impact of increased legal access to needles and syringes on practices of injecting-drug users and police officers—Connecticut, 1992–1993.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1995;10:82–89.
Gleghorn AA, Gee G, Vlahov D. Pharmacists' attitudes about pharmacy sale of needles/syringes and needle exchange programs in a city without needle/syringe prescription laws.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1998;18(suppl 1):S89-S93.
Wright-DeAguero L, Weinstein B, Jones TS. Impact of the change in Connecticut syringe prescription laws on pharmacy sales and pharmacy managers' practices.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1998;18(suppl 1):S102-S110.
Linn LS, Lawrence D. Requests made in community pharmacies.Am J Public Health. 1978;68(5):492–493.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Coffin, P.O., Linas, B.P., Factor, S.H. et al. New York City pharmacists' attitudes toward sale of needles/syringes to injection drug users before implementation of law expanding syringe access. J Urban Health 77, 781–793 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344038
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02344038