State lawmakers are debating whether to allow needle and syringe exchange programs, where drug users trade in used syringes for new ones, in response to an HIV outbreak in South Central Indiana.
The state health department reports 72 positive HIV cases in the area near Scott County with an additional seven more likely cases.
While the number of cases is not extremely high, it is higher than normal and spreading, prompting the CDC to give the outbreak epidemic status.
The outbreak has been attributed to shared needles used to inject the opioid drug Opana.
In response, the House Public Health Committee heard testimony Wednesday on an amendment that would make a needle sharing program possible.
Doctors, health officials and concerned citizens testified, stressing the time sensitive nature of the issue.
Kevin Burke, health officer for Clark County and medical director of the program that detected new cases of HIV in Scott County, says simply cleaning needles helps reduce the risk of an outbreak, but that it's not as effective as needle exchange programs.
As a pre-emptive rebuttal to criticism that needle exchange can inadvertently encourage drug use, Burke says studies show there has been no increase in IV drug use among people participating in similar programs elsewhere.
While meeting with Scottsburg authorities Wednesday to discuss how to best address the HIV epidemic, Gov. Mike Pence expressed his opposition toward a needle exchange program.
But he also said state and local health officials are exploring all options.
"I'm very confident that working with local health officials, working with nonprofit organizations, working with community leaders and working with law enforcement, that we are going to solve this problem, and we're going to restore good health and law and order to Scott County," Gov. Pence said.
Jennifer Walthall, Deputy State Health Commissioner, testified at the hearing that the department is "not considering hypotheticals," and is looking to implement a "surgical strike" where the outbreak originated. She says after the program is fine-tuned, it could be expanded.
Walthall says Indiana counties affected so far are Scott, Clark, Washington, Perry, and Jackson.
The committee is expected to vote on the amendment next week.
The governor is also expected to declare the HIV outbreak a public health emergency.
The governor plans to sign an executive order Thursday and provide more details on the measure during a press conference.
