English Wikinews Atom feed.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Pence was a former US Representative and elected Indiana's Governor in 2012. He will face reelection next year.
Image: United States Congress.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence dropped his former opposition to needle exchange programs and on Tuesday signed legislation passed by lawmakers on April 29 — the last day of the state's legislative session — that would allow local health departments, municipalities, counties, or nonprofit organizations to implement needle exchange programs. The debate about the controversial programs came on the heels of an HIV outbreak in Southern Indiana.

Austin, in Scott County, Indiana, was the epicenter of the outbreak. The number of new HIV positive cases in Scott County in this outbreak rose past 140. Governor Pence declared the outbreak a public health emergency on March 26, and at the same time approved a 30-day needle exchange program. Pence since offered a 30-day extension as the number of HIV positive cases continued to rise.

Needle exchange programs provide clean needles in exchange for dirty needles. The sharing of dirty needles has been linked to the outbreak. Experts like Chris Beyrer, president of the International AIDS Society, support needle exchange programs. Beyrer told the Indianapolis Star, however, that temporary measures, like the one Pence implemented on March 26, don't solve the long-term problem. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend needle exchange programs. But experts say long-term needle exchange programs are needed.

The HIV epidemic in Southern Indiana has been linked to a drug problem in Scott County. HIV and Hepatitis C are blood-borne viruses that spread by way of bodily fluids and bloodstream injections, especially when more than one person is using the same needle.

Legislators on the committee responsible for Senate Bill 461 heard testimony last week before voting. Representative Thomas Washburne, Republican, Evansville, told Wikinews on April 27 that he was involved in conversations pertaining to needle exchange programs. "I am inclined to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control in implementing needle exchanges," Washburne said in an interview with Wikinews. "My vote against Senate Bill 461 was not due to the needle exchanges, but other issues involved in the bill."

House members passed the bill 80–19, senators 38–11.

After legislators passed the bill, Pence told WISH-TV: "From my perspective, the focus needs to be on health emergencies. I have throughout my career not supported needle exchanges as anti-drug policies. But with regard to addressing an epidemic, which is what we’ve seen in Scott County, which is unprecedented in any rural part of the country. I was prepared to support that through executive action."

Louisville, Kentucky, about 35 miles south of Austin, was the first Kentucky municipal government to approve a needle exchange program. The Louisvile Metro Council voted 22–0 to approve the program on April 23. That approval requires reconsulting the council before actually implementing such a program. About 195 cities in the United States have adopted similar programs.

Dr. William Shaffner, a doctor and chair of the Department of Preventative Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, told Wikinews reporters March 25 at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, the day before Pence declared the public health emergency, such a program would make sense. He said the best course of action would be to "block and tackle."

"Needle exchange programs ought to be used," Shaffner said. "They have been proven to work and do not cause an increase in drug use."

Dr. William Schaffner presents March 25, 2015 at the 2015 Shaw Lecture at the University of Southern Indiana about emerging infectious diseases.
Image: Gkstylianides.

USI Biology Professor Marlene Shaw welcomes a full house to the 2015 Shaw Lecture on March 25, 2015 at the University of Southern Indiana.
Image: Gkstylianides.

A crowd of students, faculty and healthcare professionals gather during the 2015 Shaw Lecture on March 25, 2015 in Mitchell Auditorium at the University of Southern Indiana to hear Dr. William Shaffner present.
Image: Gkstylianides.

Dr. William Shaffner answers questions from students on March 25, 2015 during the 2015 Shaw Lecture at the University of Southern Indiana.
Image: Gkstylianides.

Should the state of Indiana emphasize drug reduction and not have a needle exchange program or emphasize preventative health measures and continue the needle exchange? Comment!

Sources

Wikinews

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

Wikinews

This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

Lesley Weidenbener (TheStatehouseFile.com). Pence signs law to facilitate needle exchange programs — The Indianapolis Star, May 5, 2015
Tom Davies (AP). Pence Signs Needle-Exchange Bill as HIV Outbreak Cases Grow — ABC News, May 5, 2015
Bennett Haeberle. Gov. Pence says he will ‘support’ needle exchange bill — WISH-TV, May 4, 2015
Faced with HIV outbreak, Indiana lawmakers OK needle exchange programs — Chicago Tribune, April 30, 2015
Shari Rudavsky. Needle exchange can help stop HIV spread, experts say — The Indianapolis Star, April 27, 2015
AP. Deadline nears for Indiana needle-exchange bill — South Bend Tribune, April 24, 2015
Phillip M. Bailey. Metro Council approves needle exchange — Louisville Courier-Journal, April 23, 2015
Indiana General Assembly 2015 Session Committees — Indiana General Assembly, May 7, 2015 (date of access)
Senator Patricia Miller, Senator Vaneta Becker. Indiana General Assembly 2015 Session Senate Bill 461 — Indiana General Assembly, May 7, 2015 (date of access)

This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

The text of this article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License

This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

The text of this article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License

HAVE YOUR SAY
What do you think of Andy Warhol's place in photography?
Add or view comments

	It's Warhol. He is a legend.
—Kiara Perkins, USI student

HAVE YOUR SAY
What Bradbury books have you read, and how have they influenced you?
Add or view comments

	David Jason Jenkins and Anthony Ray Jenkins made a plan to assault Pennington because of his sexual orientation.
—U.S. federal indictment

	It is the search for justice for Trayvon that has brought us to this moment.
—Angela Corey, Florida special prosecutor

	... let us move forward with a vote
—Sen. Chuck Schumer

	The main thing now is to clear those areas as quickly as possible ...
—Bernard Metraux

English Wikinews Atom feed.

Indiana Governor signs needle exchange program

Sources

Death of captive rhino halts propagation efforts in US

Sources

External links

Wikinews interviews Indiana State Senator Mike Delph

Introduction

Interview (part I): A biographical portrait

Interview (part II): Controversy over the proposed marriage amendment

Interview (part III): Issues in the fall 2014 election

Interview (part IV): Conclusion

Outro

Related news

Sources

Arabs react to Israeli debate on Jerusalem's Holy sites

Sister links

Sources

Study shows shopping cart injuries rise after US safety standards set

Sources

Warhol's photo legacy spread by university exhibits

University exhibits

Superstars

Warhol's photographic legacy

USI exhibit

Sources

UN adds to criticism of Australian offshore centers

Sources

External Links

Wikimania 2012 tackles diversity issues

Related news

Sources

Winning horse I'll Have Another loses shot at US Triple Crown

Related news

Sister links

Sources

Science Fiction author Ray Bradbury dies

Sources

US fans turn out for 2012 Phoenix Comicon

Sources

I'll Have Another wins 2012 Preakness Stakes

Related news

Sister links

Sources

UN convoy targeted in Syrian province of Idlib

Sources

Cyprus leader says no to second term

Related news

Sources

Mexico and world react to murdered journalists

Sister links

Sources

External Links

Egypt cancels 15 year gas supply contract to Israel

Sources

Doctor diagnoses Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's infertility

Sources

I'll Have Another wins 2012 Kentucky Derby

Sources

External Links

China, UN rebuke North Korea for rocket launch

Related news

Sources

Kentucky men plead not guilty in gay hate crime case

Sources

Zimmerman stands before judge for the Trayvon Martin shooting

Sources

Last Ottoman dies, aged 91

Sources

China ends retaliation on social media sites

Sources

US Senator Rand Paul blocks synthetic marijuana legislation

Sources

Brazzaville picks up the pieces after ammo depot explosion

The Brazzaville blast

The relief operation

Sources

Wikinews Shorts: February 14, 2012

Iranians block Internet; email

Washington: seventh state legalizes same-sex marriage