Pubdate: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 Source: New York Daily News (NY) Copyright: 2002 Daily News, L.P. Contact: http://www.nydailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/295 Author: CELESTE KATZ NEEDLE ACCESS DIFFICULT IN BX. Most Drugstores Shun Program People trying to buy syringes without a prescription at Bronx pharmacies should be prepared to shop around - and sometimes, to get the runaround, a new study finds. As part of a study by the New York Academy of Medicine, monitors visited about 90 pharmacies participating in the state's Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program. The program's goal is to curb the spread of disease among intravenous drug users. Overall, monitors were able to buy syringes at 69% of the pharmacies visited citywide. But it was tough going in the Bronx, where they came away from 67% of the pharmacies empty-handed. "I was very concerned by it. It's certainly not because there's no need. There's a very strong need for this item," said study director Dr. Ruth Finkelstein. "The Bronx has a very large number of active [drug] injectors and associated HIV infection." By comparison, monitors were unable to get syringes at 33% of the Queens pharmacies, 28% in Brooklyn, 16% of the Manhattan pharmacies and 11% in Staten Island. Even when they could buy needles, monitors often first had to give personal information, or answer "probing" questions about the purchase, the report found. As of mid-March, 2,458 health providers and pharmacies were registered with the syringe program, said Finkelstein, director of the Academy's Office of Special Populations. Of those, 867 were in the five boroughs. "In New York State, most HIV transmission is from, or has been from, needle sharing or people having sex with someone infected by needle sharing," said Assemblyman Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), who sponsored the syringe law. "The reason addicts share needles is simply because needles were only available on the black market at black market prices." Potential for Good The study found that "syringe monitors were only able to successfully buy syringes, without inappropriate questions and with a safety insert and disposal information upon request, in 7% of the pharmacy visits." Despite such problems, Finkelstein said the program "has a lot of good potential to decrease the transmission of HIV and other bloodborne disease, and to improve syringe disposal." Extra training could help, she said. A Health Department spokesman said the state already has undertaken training programs with pharmacies and community groups, adding, "Studies by other groups will certainly be considered. If they point out areas that can be addressed immediately, we will do that." - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart