Prescribing syringes to prevent HIV: A survey of infectious disease and addiction medicine physicians in Rhode Island

This article describes the assessment of physicians' attitudes and practice s regarding prescribing syringes to injection drug users (IDUs). A brief, a nonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to all Infectious Diseas e and Addiction Medicine specialists in Rhode Island. Of 49 eligible physic ians. 39 responded (response rate 80%). Most (95%) indicated that there is a legitimate medical reason for IDUs to obtain sterile syringes. Many (71%) agreed that they would prescribe syringes to prevent disease in IDUs if it were clearly legal to do so. We can conclude that physician syringe prescr iption to IDUs may be an acceptable supplement to existing HIV prevention s trategies.