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Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP)

In 2000, after years of advocacy by the harm reduction movement, the New York State legislature passed the Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program (ESAP).  The law permits licensed pharmacies, health care facilities and health care practitioners to sell or distribute up to ten hypodermic needles to anyone over 18 years of age.  (Prior to ESAP’s passage, distributing needles without a prescription outside of a licensed harm reduction agency was a criminal offense).   PHP quickly took advantage of the law with two new programs:  a mobile clinic, and a pharmacy education project.

PHP’s mobile clinic, housed in a converted ambulance, goes to two underserved communities:  Harlem and Washington Heights.  Mobile clinic staff and volunteers conduct outreach where drug users congregate, distribute clean needles, provide risk reduction education and demonstrations and administer rapid HIV tests.  Needs and medical assessments are done, and participants are enrolled as PHP clients.

PHP created an education program to train pharmacists and their support staffs on how to interact with drug users, comply with ESAP, and collect data for evaluation purposes.  PHP has conducted trainings at forty pharmacies throughout Manhattan.

PHP peer educator presenting at the Safe Injection Site conference