Minnesota News: Syringe Access Initiative to Prevent HIV and HCV Transmission

July 1, 2009 12:21 pm

Reprinted from the July 2009 Minnesota Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

The Minnesota Department of Health is requesting the assistance of Minnesota community pharmacies in updating the directory of participating pharmacies with the Minnesota Pharmacy Syringe Access Initiative (SAI).

As you may recall, HIV prevention legislation, enacted in 1997 by the Minnesota Legislature regarding pharmacy access to limited quantities of syringes and needles, has been effective since July 1, 1998. According to the legislation, pharmacies may voluntarily participate in this initiative to sell, without a prescription, unused hypodermic needles and syringes in quantities of 10 or fewer.

Participating pharmacies, however, are required to certify to the Department of Health that they will participate in an activity that supports effective disposal of used syringes. Types of activities in which pharmacies may choose to participate to support syringe disposal range from distribution of education materials (including referral to Web sites) about proper personal disposal of syringes to collection of used syringes from customers.

Over 400 pharmacies have been participating with SAI for more than 10 years, resulting in successfully reducing the transmission of HIV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) among injecting drug users (IDU) in Minnesota. The initiative also provides IDUs with information on HIV prevention, health care resources, drug treatment facilities, and the safe disposal of used syringes.

Since SAI began in 1998, a substantial number of new pharmacies have opened in Minnesota, and the Department of Health would like to update and expand the directory to include any new pharmacies that wish to participate with the SAI. In an early July mailing, you will be requested to complete a form that will allow your pharmacy staff to sell 10 or fewer syringes without a prescription. Your participation will contribute to maintaining Minnesota’s success in preventing the transmission of HIV and HCV.
If you have any questions please e-mail Gary Novotny, program manager, at gary.novotny@state.mn.us; phone him at 651/201-4029; or visit the program Web site at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/hiv/hivother.html.