U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has issued a statement praising the inclusion of language in the fiscal year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act that lifted the ban on federal funding for syringe-exchange programs that help limit the spread of HIV.
“Sound science is an essential component of good public health policy, and science must come first in our public health policy decisions,” Pelosi said. “The language lifting the ban on the use of federal funds for syringe exchange appropriately allows local public health and law enforcement officials to determine where exchanges should operate in their communities.
“Injection drug use is linked to 12 percent of new HIV infections, as well as most Hepatitis C infections. Lifting the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange is a big victory for science and for public health.”