beirut april 2011 harm reduction coalition policy statement on auto-disable syringes dr sharon...
TRANSCRIPT
Beirut April 2011
Beirut April 2011
Beirut April 2011
Beirut April 2011
Beirut April 2011
Beirut April 2011
Harm Reduction Coalition Policy Statement
on Auto-Disable Syringes
Dr Sharon Stancliff, Medical Director - New York Office
Auto-disable syringes
• WHO-UNICEF-UNFPA joint statement (1999)– By the end of 2003, all countries should use only auto-
disable syringes for administering all immunizations
• UNICEF (2001)– No longer enter into procurement contracts for standard
disposable syringes
• WHO guidelines for single use syringes (2007)– Reuse prevention syringes prequalify for procurement
WHO: Safe syringes for injection safety
1. Reuse Prevention Feature
a) Auto-disable b) Breaking plunger
2. Reuse and Needle Stick Prevention Features
a) Needle Stick Prevention b) Retractable syringes
Issues
• Several countries moving towards exclusive import of auto-disable syringes
• Syringe procurement strategies that don’t take the needs of PWID into account
• Difficulty of “being heard” in countries where PWID don’t have a voice
Unintended consequences
Reduced availability of standard disposable syringes
Auto-disable syringes generally not suited to drug preparation and injection
Modification of auto-disable syringes
Difficult to effectively clean
Circumvent auto-disable feature by sharing before plunger fully depressed
Syringes Used by IDUs Vary in Size and Design
Low dead High dead space space
Vietnam – HDSS 3ml detachable needle (Front loading)