Projected Outcomes of Reducing Federal Funding for Syringe Service Programs via Executive Order

What are the potential mortality and overdose outcomes of halting federal funding for syringe service programs?In this decision analytical model including 3 694 500 hypothetical persons who inject drugs, eliminating federal funding for programs that provide syringe exchange and other harm reduction interventions was projected to increase deaths among this population by 1100 to 39 600 in the next 5 years. During that same period, opioid overdose deaths are expected to increase by 500 to 15 600.These findings suggest that eliminating federal funding for syringe service programs may increase all-cause deaths and fatal opioid overdoses among persons who inject drugs.

Corresponding Author: Joshua A. Barocas, MD, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12700 E 19th Ave, 11th Floor, Bldg RC2, Mail Stop B168, Aurora, CO 80045 (joshua.barocas@cuanschutz.edu).

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