We salute and commend our colleagues in the media—journalists, bloggers, hosts of television and radio programs—for their thorough support over the years for the need for injection safety. The patient notifications and confirmed outbreaks that move HONOReform and our many partners to take action have, sadly, become fairly regular occurrences. For us.

But in communities that are affected by a patient notification or a tragic outbreak caused by unsafe injection practices, it is brand new territory. These incidents defy credulity. How could this happen? This couldn’t happen here! This is a developing countries problem!

These are some of the comments we regularly hear. We understand. We have been there ourselves.

Thanks to the excellent engaged Safe Injection Practices Coalition, which is led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a variety of excellent materials are in place. The One and Only Campaign is an excellent resource—and one that we share straightaway with members of the media, whenever we are involved in a discussion on injection safety.

We encourage you to review the One and Only Campaign Resources: http://www.oneandonlycampaign.org/campaign_resources
and, if you are a healthcare provider, put these valuable materials in place in your institution.

On December 2, 2013, our executive director, Steve Langan, wrote a blog piece titled “HONOResponse: Why the North Dakota investigation is Representative.” We had just learned of this incident; we were trying our best to gather all the facts…and determine how best we could take actions to support victims and the overall community.

Thanks in part to the journalists in the community, including Jim Olson of KXMC, more of the facts of this outbreak, from which 44 North Dakotans have been infected with viral hepatitis, have become known. And there was a recent community meeting, during which family and community members came together to support one another—and consider ways to work together going forward.

It is our pleasure to share links to the recent KXMC stories:
http://www.kxnet.com/story/25061170/hepatitis-c-outbreak-a-mystery
http://www.kxnet.com/story/25061165/family-of-hep-c-victim-wants-more-investigation
http://www.kxnet.com/story/25072756/outbreak-mysteries
http://www.kxnet.com/story/25072738/the-investigation

“I am grateful to the many journalists who have taken time to understand our mission, and embrace it,” said Evelyn McKnight. “I also want to commend patient and family advocates, including Jan Laudenschlager and Tam Black of North Dakota, who regularly share their story. These powerful stories need to be heard, and they drive policy makers, public health leaders and healthcare workers to make necessary changes.”
(On an upcoming HONOReform blog, Jan and Tam will tell their story.)

HONOReform will be present in Minot on Monday, April 21, to meet with patients, their family members and members of the community. For more information contact Steve Langan, 402.659.6343 or steve@www.HONOReform.org.

Thank you for doing all you can to prevent unsafe injection practices.