181093 Three Years into Legalization of Over-the-Counter (OTC) Syringe Sales in California (SB1159): Where are we now?

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 2:42 PM

Richard S. Garfein, PhD, MPH , Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Thomas Stopka, MHS , HIV Prevention Research and Evaluation Section, California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS, Sacramento, CA
Patricia B. Pavlinac, BA , Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
Karen Haye , Department of Community Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
Elise D. Riley, PhD , Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Ricky N. Bluthenthal, PhD , Department of Preventive Medicine Institute for Prevention Research Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Alhambra, CA
Background: In January 2005, California legislation (SB1159) permitted individuals to legally purchase up to ten syringes over-the-counter (OTC) from registered pharmacies within local health jurisdictions (LHJs) that adopted SB1159. Methods: From October 2007 to January 2008, we conducted our third annual survey of health officials in California's 61 LHJs assessing SB1159 implementation status. Questionnaires covered: SB1159 approval and implementation status, facilitators and barriers to approval or implementation, and program coverage. Results: Sixty (98.4 %) LHJs responded. Sixteen LHJs (26.7%) adopted SB1159, of which 14 (87.5%) had registered a total of 517 (17.3%) pharmacies out of 2987 in the 16 LHJs. Although only 2 LHJs were added since 2006, the number of registered pharmacies increased 96.6% from 263 previously reported. Among the unapproved LHJs, 1 (1.7%) was in the adoption process, 6 (10.0%) planned to adopt, 32 (53.3%) reported no plans to adopt, and 5 (8.3%) were missing. Of 32 LHJs not planning to adopt SB1159, the top four reasons were: limited time (37.5%) or interest (31.3%), pharmacy disinterest (29.0%), and law enforcement opposition (21.8%). The main barriers to adoption among the 7 pending LHJs were community opposition (42.9%), lack of funding (42.9%), pharmacy disinterest (42.9%) and potential syringe disposal concerns (42.9%). Conclusions: Although few new LHJs adopted SB1159 since 2007, those that have are home to 70% of Californians currently living with HIV/AIDS. Significantly increased pharmacy registration indicates growing support for SB1159. Community opposition and competing priorities, time, and funding must be addressed to expand OTC syringe sales in California.

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the level to which CA Senate Bill 1159 has been adopted by counties in CA. 2. Identify specific barriers to implementation of non-prescription syringe sales in CA after adoption of SB1159. 3. Describe the change in the number of pharmacies registered to sell syringes without a prescription over the past year.

Keywords: Injecting Drug Use, Public Health Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the survey, participated in the analysis and interpretation of the data, and wrote the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Making HIV Policy Change Real: The Case of Non-Prescription Pharmacy Sales to Prevent HIV among Injection Drug Users in California: 2005-2007
See more of: HIV/AIDS