The Hepatitis C Task Force of Los Angeles brought the medical and prevention community together on November 21 to discuss the state of the hepatitis C epidemic in Los Angeles County.  Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) Southern California led the charge in prevention strategies for reducing the further outbreak of the disease at this Sixth Annual Hepatitis C Summit held at the California Endowment. 

Meghan Ralston, DPA’s Harm Reduction Coordinator, gave a highly energetic presentation about how pharmacies in the Los Angeles County are able to sell syringes without a prescription to those who need them.  The Disease Prevention Demonstration Project (DPDP) is a pilot program put together by Senate Bill 1159, the Drug Policy Alliance, California Endowment and the LA Department of Public Health to stop the ever increasing rates and spread of HIV and Hepatitis C.   DPDP has signed up over 300 pharmacies in the county and the number is still increasing, with new ground being broken for those in the Antelope Valley area. 

Besides preventing the spread of these serious diseases, Meghan Ralston has built relationships with organizations, the health and treatment community as well as city departments that we might not see as an ally in the harm reduction community such as the city Department of Waste Management.  Meghan has been working closely with them to implement a proper removal of syringes by dispensing sharps containers throughout the county.  It is these “outside the box” strategies that help create stronger relationships with the city of Los Angeles. 

The Hepatitis C Summit had a turnout of 250-300 people from all parts of California.  Their keynote speaker was Christopher Kennedy Lawford, an actor, who spoke of how he first contracted Hepatitis C and his journey to fight the disease.  He spoke about the importance of not only the drugs to treat the disease but the prevention efforts, by expanding treatment for addiction and using harm reduction policies to stop the spread. 

The conference ended with a remembrance to keep programs like DPDP up and running, and to continue the fight for treatment instead of incarceration strategies in public health policies.  SB 1159 will sunset in 2010, making it a vital piece of legislation DPA will be watching in the new legislative cycle.  We encourage all DPA members to remind your legislators how important this bill is to saving lives in California.