Tragically – and irresponsibly – no federal HIV prevention funds are being used for needle exchange programs.  The failure to permit federal funding of needle exchange programs has brought angry criticism.

Representative Maxine Waters of the Congressional Black Caucus, a strong supporter of federal funding put it this way:  "This is a life-and-death issue.  We can save lives with needle exchange as we try to work at getting rid of drugs in our society.”⁽¹⁾  Representative Xavier Becerra, of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has championed federal funding for needle exchange.⁽²⁾  The NAACP has taken a stand in favor of needle exchange.⁽³⁾   

So, here is the situation.  Our best science shows that a combination of needle exchange programs and pharmacy sales of syringes could save thousands of lives and several billion health care dollars.⁽⁴⁾  Yet, the federal government is unwilling to fund needle exchange programs.  The result is that the federal government is in the absurd position of spending billions to provide medical treatment as people suffer with HIV/AIDS, a debilitating and often deadly illness, while refusing to spend any money for a key prevention technique – needle exchange programs.

Footnotes

(1)	Paul Bedard, “Black Caucus Targets Drug Czar,” Washington Times,  April 25, 1998,  p. 1.
(2)	Letter from Representative Xavier Becerra and Representative Maxine Waters to Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala dated February 9, 1998.
(3)	Kweisi Mfume, chief executive of the NAACP, “Letter to the Editor,”  New York Times,  July 11, 1998,  p. A10.
(4)	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2001. HIV Prevention Strategic Plan Through 2005. January. 81 pages. Appendix C, page 64. Available in pdf format.
For a list of other materials used on this website, see References.