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Core Topics => Harm Reduction => Topic started by: Chip on July 07, 2016, 04:15:52 PM

Title: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Chip on July 07, 2016, 04:15:52 PM
from social media, source: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/drug-users-reject-terumo-syringes-at-needle-exchanges-20160705-gpz1wy.html#ixzz4Df3wL6q5

Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges

(https://forum.drugs-and-users.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theage.com.au%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fimages%2Fg%2Fp%2Fj%2F9%2Fj%2Fj%2Fimage.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gpz1wy.png%2F1467805653151.jpg&hash=d3cb3fc227f97d687923978569258d968da9c130)
Health workers are worried about a new batch of syringes being given out at needle and syringe exchanges.

Drug users are rejecting a new batch of syringes in Australia's needle exchange programs, saying they're too blunt and too flexible and that the tips are snapping off in people's arms.

The trend is causing alarm among needle and syringe program workers who say they have been inundated with complaints about them.

They fear the problem is driving people to use old and shared equipment that puts them at risk of HIV and Hepatitis C, and will cause people to abandon their services altogether.

Frontline workers told Fairfax Media that drug users have been reporting problems with the Terumo syringes for the past few months. The users say the needles are causing injuries to their veins and blood spillage - problems that can lead to bacterial infections and blood borne virus transmission. Some have required surgery to remove needle tips stuck in their arms.
 
Users are demanding old stock and when they don't get it, they are walking away to find other alternatives, the workers say.

"The impact is becoming more and more obvious … It's a public health disaster," said one who did not want to be named.
Another said it was a "massive problem" that would have long term consequences for the program, which hands out millions of syringes across Australia.

(https://forum.drugs-and-users.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Fcontent%2Fdam%2Fimages%2Fg%2Fp%2Fz%2F2%2F9%2Fp%2Fimage.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x0.png%2F1467699326981.png&hash=ed4834b7e9f94add8224e8cf71e1e4bb20c3097e)
One of the new Terumo syringes piercing its cap

"We need a response now," the second worker said.

Head of Harm Reduction Victoria Jenny Kelsall said she had heard of people breaking into syringe disposal bins to find old equipment. However, she said the Victorian government was working on the problem and hoped it would be resolved within months.

CEO of the Pennington Institute John Ryan said he was working with the Victorian department of health on a survey of about 400 injecting drug users to see which syringes they prefer.
 
He said the department of health had sourced three different products from overseas for the survey,  which is due to begin later this month.
 
Mr Ryan said it was difficult to know if anecdotal reports of deficiencies were legitimate as opposed to people getting used to dealing with a new product in a "highly ritualised and habitual" practice. He said there may not be anything technically wrong with the syringes.

Fairfax Media understands the complaints about the Terumo syringes emerged after the company moved its production line from the US to Asia. The new products manufactured in Asia have filtered through to the needle and syringe programs in Australia in recent months.

A spokesman for the Victorian Department of Health said it was aware of a "small number" of complaints and is seeking consumer feedback on new products.

He said the government's procurement agency, Health Purchasing Victoria, had not received any other reports from health services relating to the product.

"The needles meet current standards, and product testing prior to their introduction did not identify any safety issues. Guidelines have been developed to help clients using the new needles," he said.
 
"Any clients using the products who have concerns are encouraged to talk to Needle and Syringe Program staff."

In 2009, an Australian government assessment of needle and syringe programs concluded that between 2000 and 2009 they prevented an estimated 32,050 HIV infections and more than 96,000 Hepatitis C infections.

Over the nine years, the program cost governments $243 million. For every dollar spent, the report said the government saved more than $4 in avoidable health and disability costs.

Professor Paul Dietze, a leading drug expert with the Burnet Institute, said there were about 20,000-35,000 people in Victoria who injected drugs and about 135,000 in Australia. He said it was too early to determinethe consequences of the syringe problem.

However he said any threat to Australia's successful needle and syringe program was a concern given its prevention of costly diseases.
 
A spokeswoman for Terumo Australia said while the company had received some complaints, no "quality issues" had been found.



Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Dog Food on July 07, 2016, 05:33:04 PM
Wow, thats fucked up.  My needle exchange normally only has these huge 27gauge, really long syringes.  Only a few times theyve had some 30 or 31 gauge ones also.  Does anyone really prefer 27gauge rigs for iving street dope?  I know that has caused me to have to reuse my old ones over n over way more than I'd ever normally use.

I had a buddy who went to rehab and found a broken off tip in his arm.  I can't imagine having it break off and going in your vein.  Id think that could cause some serious problems if it was flowing with your blood inside the vein
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: onewayonly on July 07, 2016, 09:50:53 PM
I ordered these a while back I think. The ones I got were from BD and had some stupid mechanism on the end which made it difficult to inject.
I just remember trying with a few and shipping the rest back.
Whatever BD makes that is not a simple insulin rig sucks is what I realized.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Pullmyhair. on July 07, 2016, 10:35:12 PM
Yeah, I hate Terumo needles. I always buy the 25g bd luer lock needles (insulin syringes are too small for what I'm generally shooting).
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: theSWPK on July 08, 2016, 02:04:42 AM
I'm a 31g 8mm 1cc kinda guy. I like Walmart brand but now are unable to buy them due to policy change
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Chip on July 08, 2016, 03:11:15 AM
I'm a 27 g. Terumo and 26 g. tips+3-5 ml. barrel guy.

if I could do it all again then I'd go the 29 g. single Terumo (old stock).
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Zoops on July 08, 2016, 04:14:09 AM
I can see two typical things in this article:

1. That governments tend not to believe addicts when they're saying something. Instead that one guy from Health Australia or something said something along the lines of "IV drug use is highly ritualized..." and that there is probably "nothing wrong" with the syringes. In other words, it's just junkys that are getting noided out because their equipment is slightly different. And we should just ignore their complaints because, hey, they're junkys right?

2.That when a governmental body is confronted with a problem, ANY government, ANY problem, their response is likely to be hopelessly ineffectual. They are having meetings, discussions, more meetings, and "consumer focus groups." All sorts of dumb shit. Anything but just fucking FIX the problem amIright?

And my "dream rig?" - A BD 3cc barrel, with a detachable 25g 5/8" Luer lok tuberculin needle.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Z on July 08, 2016, 07:47:19 AM
Around here most people prefer the terumo over bd.  I think they slide a bit easier, and really it's just what we are used to from the needle exchange.  31 is too small.  They clog if you look at them funny.  I prefer 29g or 27g too chipper.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Pantopon Pete on July 09, 2016, 06:15:26 PM

  31 is too small.  They clog if you look at them funny. 

LOL @ this. Plus, truth.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: NZniceguy on July 10, 2016, 01:09:07 AM
3ml luer lock and 30g here......started with only getting 3ml plus 26g then they brought in the 27g and now we can get damn near anything needle related at our exchanges. No Narcan though.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: Thoms on July 10, 2016, 03:26:28 AM
God this makes me glad I haven't shot up in around two months. My tracks are gone and I have other things I look forward to. I feel like I can give my woman all of me and not just a portion I had left after I put shooting morphine first. I am in no way bragging as that's not cool. I just need to say it is doable. When I was shooting we used 3 ml barrels with 25g luer locks not the got fucking dull quick as we used them for way to long as picking up new rigs was a pain in the ass and when you can get more dope or rigs I tended to buy more dope even though I was kicking my veins asses.
Title: Re: Drug users reject Terumo syringes at needle exchanges
Post by: bignasty on September 06, 2018, 09:50:26 PM
When I was shooting we used 3 ml barrels with 25g luer locks not the got fucking dull quick as we used them for way to long as picking up new rigs was a pain in the ass and when you can get more dope or rigs I tended to buy more dope even though I was kicking my veins asses.
I don't see how y'all use 25 and 27 gauge rigs for IV'ing. I've IM'd steroid oil using a 25 gauge needle before and I've used a 25 gauge to IV once and it bled so fucking much after I was done and I could see it leaving huge tracks if I used 25's all the time.
I prefer 31's but will use 30's or even 29's if they don't have 31's. I prefer the 31's because they leave the least amount of tracks and seem to be the sharpest since they're so small. They rarely clog unless you're using them over and over. If they do clog, that's shit that doesn't need to be in your veins anyway. I can't imagine all the particles that I'd inject if I used 25 gauge needles every time. I imagine it's a lot easier to know when you've registered with a 25 but I'd rather take a little extra time pulling back on the plunger with a 31 than injecting all kinds of particles in my veins.

I have a needle that broke off that's still in my forearm. Is there anything I should be worried about? It happened a year or two ago and nothing has happened yet but is there anything that could happen down the line? It's far under the skin but not in a vein so there's no way for me to get it out on my own and I'd prefer not to have surgery just to get it removed if it's not gonna 'cause any problems.

Anybody else have broken needles still in them?
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