OBJECTIVE: To assess implementation of California Senate Bill SB41 in two inland California counties where prevalence of injection drug use is among the highest in the nation. DESIGN: Syringe purchase trial. SETTING: Fresno and Kern counties, California. PARTICIPANTS: All 248 community pharmacies in the counties. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Successful or unsuccessful syringe purchase attempt. RESULTS: Only 52 (21.0%) syringe purchase attempts were successful. The proportion of successful attempts did not vary by county or by data collector ethnicity. The most common reasons for unsuccessful syringe purchase attempts were prescription requirements (45.7%), the requested syringe size was not available (10.7%), and the pharmacy did not sell syringes (9.7%). In addition, some syringe purchase attempts (4.1%) were unsuccessful because the data collector was asked to purchase more syringes than allowed by law. Although 80% and 78% of Fresno and Kern residents, respectively, live within a 5-minute drive of a community pharmacy, less than one-half live within a 5-minute drive of a community pharmacy that sold syringes. CONCLUSION: SB41 has not resulted in broad pharmacy-based syringe access in California's inland counties, where a disproportionate number of cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are associated with injection drug use. Additional steps by legislative bodies, regulatory agencies, and professional organizations are needed to actively engage pharmacies in expanding nonprescription syringe sales to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users.
OBJECTIVE: To assess implementation of California Senate Bill SB41 in two inland California counties where prevalence of injection drug use is among the highest in the nation. DESIGN: Syringe purchase trial. SETTING:Fresno and Kern counties, California. PARTICIPANTS: All 248 community pharmacies in the counties. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Successful or unsuccessful syringe purchase attempt. RESULTS: Only 52 (21.0%) syringe purchase attempts were successful. The proportion of successful attempts did not vary by county or by data collector ethnicity. The most common reasons for unsuccessful syringe purchase attempts were prescription requirements (45.7%), the requested syringe size was not available (10.7%), and the pharmacy did not sell syringes (9.7%). In addition, some syringe purchase attempts (4.1%) were unsuccessful because the data collector was asked to purchase more syringes than allowed by law. Although 80% and 78% of Fresno and Kern residents, respectively, live within a 5-minute drive of a community pharmacy, less than one-half live within a 5-minute drive of a community pharmacy that sold syringes. CONCLUSION:SB41 has not resulted in broad pharmacy-based syringe access in California's inland counties, where a disproportionate number of cases of humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are associated with injection drug use. Additional steps by legislative bodies, regulatory agencies, and professional organizations are needed to actively engage pharmacies in expanding nonprescription syringe sales to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users.
Authors: Wendy Reich; Wilson M Compton; Joeseph C Horton; Linda B Cottler; Renee M Cunningham-Williams; Robert Booth; Merrill Singer; Carl Leukefeld; Joseph Fink; Tom J Stopka; Karen Fortuin Corsi; Michelle Staton Tindall Journal: J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash) Date: 2002 Nov-Dec
Authors: Peter J Davidson; Remedios Lozada; Perth C Rosen; Armando Macias; Manuel Gallardo; Robin A Pollini Journal: Int J Drug Policy Date: 2012-06-05
Authors: Robin A Pollini; Remedios Lozada; Manuel Gallardo; Perth Rosen; Alicia Vera; Armando Macias; Lawrence A Palinkas; Steffanie A Strathdee Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2010-06
Authors: Richard S Garfein; Thomas J Stopka; Patricia B Pavlinac; Alessandra Ross; B Karen Haye; Elise D Riley; Ricky N Bluthenthal Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2010-07 Impact factor: 3.671