In 2019, drug overdoses took the lives of more than 70,000 people in the United States. In West Virginia, which sees the greatest overdose rate in the U.S., recent legislation has substantially undermined syringe services program (SSP) delivery, which is a major part of the public health toolkit to prevent transmission of HIV and HCV (hepatitis C virus) infections and overdose from opioids. In the absence of what were widely available SSPs, the remaining tools involve clinicians in primary care who have the ability to screen for, treat, and prevent these adverse outcomes, especially in rural communities where services are limited.
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Published: Thursday, September 30, 2021
