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| Iowa prisons brace for possible uptick in HIV, hepatitis C cases as opioid epidemic swells |
| By desmoinesregister.com- Brianne Pfannenstiel |
| Published: 09/18/2017 |
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Correction: This story has been updated to show that hepatitis C cases have been linked to the opioid epidemic in Iowa. Iowa’s Department of Corrections is bracing for a possible uptick in the number of inmates infected with HIV and hepatitis C as a result of the opioid epidemic — an outcome that could put pressure on an already cash-strapped system. State public health officials say they have yet to link any new HIV infections to opioid use, but they remain "vigilant" after nearly 200 people in rural Indiana contracted the viruses by sharing needles to inject prescription pain medications in 2015. But they do attribute an "alarming" rise in hepatitis C infections to the epidemic. Jerome Greenfield, the Department of Corrections’ health services administrator, said the department will need a $1 million budget increase going into the 2019 budget year to accommodate rising pharmaceutical costs for things like HIV and hepatitis C, as well as a generally aging prison population. Read More. |
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