My...uh.... Grandma needs some needles for her....uh insulin. 500 cc, long, LONG needles. And she...uh... needs a lot of them cause she's real.... uh.. sick and stuff
I have always had a problem with this. I understand the reasonings behind it and really all of us are split 50/50 on it mostly, yet we still do it. The pro side states that if we give them needles it prevents the spread of HIV and blood-borne pathogens to others seeing as they won't be tempted to use dirty needles. I've always said that these are drugies and the mooch off the system, whats so bad if they get themselves a little deadly disease right?
Then the argument turns to; but these diseases are expensive to fight, which they are, and end up costing us even more money. I cannot argue this point as it is very valid. But I have a counter offer.
Don't treat them at all.
Cruel? Yes. Ethical? Maybe not. Why should we pay for the fact some heroin addict used someone's needle and now has HIV? I say is evolution. I have a hard time knowing my hard earned money goes to support people who are too damned lazy to get a job. I have an even harder time knowing we're keeping alive someone who has already thrown their life away. I thought the purpose of treating such diseases was to increase quality of life for these individuals. Why should we increase the quality of life from someone who has pissed it away themselves?
Maybe I'm an asshole. No wait, I am asshole theres no question about that. But I really don't see what's wrong with that option. We coddle people far too much in today's society. We give too much benefit of the doubt. And sometimes we should let people live in the grave they dug.
Alas I am but a wee college student who cannot do much at this moment. And for now, I shall just go with the flow because all I need is to be bitched at by management some more.
My evil little plan though? I'll just have to make sure I give them some short needles instead of the longs they so desperately need ;)
1 comment:
What of the police officer who is patting down one of the many HIV-infected addicts who lie about having needles in their pockets? What of rape victims? Emergency health-care workers who exercise proper technique and procedures are sometimes put at risk due to other peoples mistakes. Access to clean needles reduces the spread of blood born disease. Google it if you want to open the floodgate of peer-reviewed studies. Illicit drug use is largely independent of access to clean needles. As a pharmacist you will have the responsibility of determining who gets needles and who does not. When you make that decision please take a moment to consider the people who may suffer unexpected contacts with those who are IV drug users.
The history of the HIV pandemic is a fascinating one. Particularly when you take a look at the early days before a screening process of the blood supply was made possible and hemophiliacs basically had to play a lottery for treatment.
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