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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04272010 - C.27RECOMMENDATION(S): ADOPT a position of "Support" for AB 1701 (Chesbro), a bill that deletes the end date for existing law that authorizes a city or county to authorize a licensed pharmacist to sell or furnish 10 or fewer hypodermic needles or syringes to a person for human use without a prescription if the pharmacy is registered with a local health department, as recommended by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Wendel Brunner. FISCAL IMPACT: The needle exchange program proposed under this legislation would allow pharmacists to sell needles to anyone walking in the door. There does not appear to be a cost of any kind to the County other than minimal AIDS program staffing time required to maintain the program, which is included in the current Health Services budget. There is the potential for significant savings from the reduction in diseases that are transferred by needles - such as HIV/AIDS. BACKGROUND: The United States Public Health Service recommends that individuals who inject drugs use a new, sterile syringe for each injection to prevent the transmission of blood-borne APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 04/27/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 335-1097 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: April 27, 2010 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: June McHuen, Deputy cc: Wendel Brunner C.27 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:April 27, 2010 Contra Costa County Subject:SUPPORT Position for AB 1701 (Chesbro): Hypodermic Needles and Syringes pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis C. In 1999, the Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed the provision of needle exchange services in Contra Costa County, and in 2004 the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a request to authorize and implement a local Disease Prevention Demonstration Project (DPDP) in Contra Costa. This Project, as authorized by California Senate Bill 1159, allows pharmacists registered with the Health Department to sell or furnish up to 10 syringes to an individual 18 years of age or older without a prescription. The current DPDP bill sunsets December 31, 2010. AB 1701 removes that date and leaves the remainder of the bill as originally enacted. SB 1159 (Vasconcellos), Chapter 608, Statutes of 2004, established a five-year pilot program to allow California pharmacies, when authorized by a local government, to sell up to 10 syringes to adults without a prescription. According to the Office of AIDS, 15 counties and four cities have authorized a DPDP. Two other counties are planning to implement the program, and four County Boards of Supervisors have rejected authorization of a DPDP. According to DPH, implementation of SB 1159 has rolled out smoothly in most participating local health jurisdictions. Participating counties and cities have been positive about the opportunities to form new collaborations, to address the issue of syringe disposal, to provide syringe purchasers with essential health information, and to enlist pharmacies in public health efforts. To date, research conducted on the program has found no evidence of increased crime or syringe litter. A report based on DPH's evaluation of the pilot project and the impact of syringe sales on rates of disease, rates of crime, rates of drug use, rates of needle-stick injury to law enforcement officers, and rates of unsafe discard of syringes is currently under review by the department. The percentage of individuals attributing their infection to Injection Drug use in Contra Costa has declined over the last several years. The reduction in IDU transmission is due at least in part to the availability of clean needles and syringes in Contra Costa. However, more than 19% of all people living with HIV and/or AIDS in Contra Costa (and nearly 32% of women living with HIV and/or AIDS in Contra Costa), continue to identify injection drug use as the mode of transmission. Two pharmacy chains and several smaller individual pharmacies are registered with the Contra Costa DPDP. The distribution of syringes has increased over time and no problems have been reported to the Health Department. An annual update is provided by the Health Department to the Family and Human Services Committee. No adverse Health or Safety issues have been identified since the inception of this project. The DPDP remains a necessary component of the HIV Prevention strategy for Contra Costa. BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) SUPPORT. The Health Officers Association of California, the sponsor of this bill, writes that this bill will protect public health without sacrificing public safety as numerous scientific studies have found that safe access to syringes does not lead to increased drug use. The County Health Executives Association of California states that allowing DPDP to continue will likely continue to reduce the number of new infections across the state. AIDS Project Los Angeles writes that a 2001 study of 96 U.S. cities found that the rate of HIV among IDUs was twice as high in the cities that prohibited the sale of syringes without a prescription compared to cities that did not have such a prohibition. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors states that this bill is an appropriate response to a genuine public health threat and would complement existing harm reduction programs that seek to reduce the use of dirty needles, such as their County's needle exchange program. The Drug Policy Alliance writes that allowing adults to purchase sterile syringes without a prescription at community pharmacies is a sound public health strategy endorsed by virtually every major health organization, including the American Medical Association, Institute of Medicine, American Pharmacists Association, and the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. OPPOSITION. The California Narcotic Officers Association writes that an indefinite lifting of the sunset on DPDP does not take sufficient account of some of the incidents that have occurred in connection with non-prescription needle furnishing, including irresponsible disposal of needles and a "magnet effect," in which some retail outlets that furnish needles without a prescription have become magnets for drug addicts and dealers. California Correctional Supervisors Organization states that DPDP is directed at illegal drug users and how they have not demonstrated care and concern for their own bodies, thus we are ill advised to think they will properly dispose of dangerous needles and syringes. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support Health Officers Association of California (sponsor), AIDS Project Los Angeles, California Psychiatric Association, County Health Executives Association of California, Drug Policy Alliance, San Luis Obispo County Health Officer, Santa Clara County Health Officer, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency . Opposition California Correctional Supervisors Organization, California Narcotic Officers Association ATTACHMENTS AB 1701 Bill Text