How to Participate in Needle Exchange Programs

This article was co-authored by Timothy Sherman, RN. Timothy Sherman is a Registered Nurse (RN) based in Austin, Texas and affiliated with St. David's HealthCare. With over seven years of nursing experience, Timothy specializes in working with adults in a general medical/surgical setting, chemotherapy, and with biotherapy administration. He has also instructed Essentials of Medical Terminology and Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Assistants at Austin Community College. He received his BS in Nursing from Wichita State University in 2012.

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Needle Exchange Programs (NEP), also known as Syringe Service Programs (SSP), provide sterile needles to injected drug users (IDUs) to help lower the risk of the transmission of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other blood-borne illnesses. [1] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source These programs also provide other materials, such as sterile cotton, alcohol swabs, and spoons, and services to help IDUs. If you are an IDU, look for a Needle Exchange Program in your area to help protect yourself.