Press Release
Nation’s Drug Crisis Intersecting with STDs, Straining an STD Field on the Edge
New MMWR report shows connection between drug use and syphilis
February 14, 2019
For Immediate Release
Contact: Matthew Prior, [email protected], 570-878-3847
On Thursday, CDC released an analysis showing that methamphetamine, heroin, and other injection drug use more than doubled among heterosexuals with syphilis from 2013-2017. This analysis supports trends that many STD prevention programs are reporting around the nation – that these epidemics are merging and drug use is one factor that underlies the STD crisis in America.
“Without increased federal funding, a nearly bankrupted STD prevention effort in this country could be pushed over the edge when you add in the additional burden of the nation’s drug crisis,” says David C. Harvey, executive director of National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD). He adds, “combatting STDs and drugs go hand-in-hand.”
NCSD is requesting an additional $70 million from Congress for CDC’s STD prevention program to jumpstart a response to recent dramatic STD increases, including the additional burden of dealing with substance use disorders. Funding for the CDC STD prevention program has not been increased in 15 years, leaving most STD programs woefully ill-equipped to handle the climbing cases of substance abuse disorders and STDs.
“Drug use, in particular methamphetamine use, has been a major factor in every one of our local outbreaks in Kansas,” Scott Strobel says. Strobel heads the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s team of disease intervention specialists (DIS), who investigate STD outbreaks and navigate people and their partners to treatment and care. “These outbreaks are increasingly frequent and our DIS workforce is struggling to meet these demands with available resources,” he adds.
“STD clinics are essential safety net services for people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to health care,” says Cherie Walker-Baban, who oversees Philadelphia’s STD program. “The people who come to our STD clinics are often affected by the opioid epidemic and the services we provide are essential to keeping these individuals and their communities healthy,” Baban adds.