Jun 16, 2009
Safe Sharps Bill Out of Assembly Committee
Legislation sponsored by MS – California Action Network (MS-CAN) that will identify options for the safe management and disposal of “sharps” waste (e.g. syringes, needles, lancets) that people self-inject medications at home today passed out of the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee with only one abstention vote. Ralph Cyr, a member of the Government Relations Committee of the Northern California Chapter of the National MS Society testified before the committee.
SB 486 provides for safe needle disposal methods for at home patients injecting their medicine with a syringe, pen needle or other injection device (“sharps”) by requiring that the drug manufacturers who make these injectible medications submit plans to the California Integrated Waste Management Board on how they will provide safe needle disposal programs for the patients who inject their drugs. MS-CAN is a co-sponsor of SB 486 along with the CA Sharps Coalition and the County of Alameda.
The legislation, SB 486 authored by Senator Joe Simitian (D-11th), has already been approved by the State Senate. The bill will now move on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee (the hearing date has yet to be set) and then to the floor of the Assembly.
Currently, many cities and counties in California do not have sharps disposal programs of any kind, leaving many individuals with MS with no way to dispose of their sharps. In addition, in cities and counties where there are collection sites, they may be located in places difficult to get to for disabled people or not accessible at all for individuals who are home-bound. Although private mail back programs are available, they may be too costly for individuals who are low income.
SB 486 will take the responsibility of sharps disposal off of the MS consumer and provide a necessary first step toward assuring efficient, effective and accessible disposal alternatives for at home injection users.