Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: How does HONOReform help individuals?
    Led by Evelyn McKnight and a growing cadre of patient advocates, HONOReform is, in its heart and at its core, a patient safety organization. Joining the Safe Injection Practices Coalition, led by the CDC, to help develop the robust One and Only Campaign, gave HONOReform the opportunity to speak on behalf of patients throughout the country who have been put in harm’s way because of unsafe injection practices. But our work continues to expand. For instance, our colleagues at the Creighton University School of Nursing helped develop the “HONOReform Compassionate Response Toolkit,”(needs link) which has been distributed to patients throughout southern Nevada and elsewhere. This toolkit provides information for patients who are infected with bloodborne pathogens while receiving healthcare. Additionally, Evelyn McKnight and HONOReform are active participants in communities where patient notification letters are mailed and outbreaks are confirmed. The main goal—before, during and after an incident of unsafe injection practices—is to speak on behalf of patients, always presenting the need to do thorough and complete testing…and to be sure the patient is the number one priority.

    Q: How does HONOReform help providers?
    Education of the public is vital, but so is reeducation of providers. According to a recent CDC study, a small percentage of seasoned providers believe it is okay to reuse a syringe on multiple patients. Through our work on the One and Only Campaign—and in the day to day work of our organization—we stress the need to injection safety from manufacturing through disposal. We strive to make providers aware that shortcuts in the medical injection process should not, cannot, ever be taken.

    Q: How does HONOReform provide support for communities?
    HONOReform recently launched its “HONOResponse” program, which allows the organization to respond quickly and in a variety of ways whenever an injection safety issue is discovered or announced. Quite simply, HONOResponse provides the opportunity for HONOReform to connect and collaborate with every individual and organization involved when an outbreak is announced—patients, providers, public health organizations, the media, the legal community and others. With the needs of patients in mind, HONOReform, with proven experience in response to outbreaks throughout the country, is dedicated to providing much-needed leadership and guidance.

  • Q: How does HONOReform work on committees and coalitions—and with professional organizations and corporations?
    Including our longtime role on the CDC-led Safe Injection Practices Coalition, HONOReform is active on a variety of committees and coalitions. HONOReform is a grassroots organization, so we rely on partnerships. HONOReform is grateful to the many professional organizations and corporations that endorse and help support our mission. A primary way organizations support HONOReform is by including HONOReform patient advocates in meetings and conferences.

    Q: How has HONOReform been influential on Capitol Hill? What is the goal?
    Along with a variety of partners, Evelyn McKnight and HONOReform pushed for federal funding, starting in 2008, to focus on safeguarding the medical injection process, mainly through formation of the One and Only Campaign. Other highlights of HONOReform’s work on Capitol Hill are our leadership on a congressional briefing, “Injections without Infections,” and our work on a key Government Accountability Organization report, on injection safety in outpatient clinics. A current project, approaching HHS to concentrate its efforts on prevention of drug diversion, is underway.

    Q. What are some of HONOReform’s achievements at the state level?
    The “attestation law,” signed into law in Nevada in 2011, is one of our many achievements at the state level. When receiving or renewing a license in Nevada, healthcare providers must attest to always using safe injection practices (as described by the CDC). We are proud of our support of a variety of other bills at the state level. Of course, to work closely in a particular state, it is important to have local advocates engaged. We encourage anyone affected by unsafe injection practices to contact HONOReform, anytime, to learn about our mission and how we can best work together.

    Q: What are some of HONOReform’s current goals? How can I help?
    HONOReform relies on support of individuals, organizations and foundations. We encourage anyone who is interested in safeguarding the medical injection process to please contact us. One of our main goals is expanding our HONOResponse program—so we can provide support, at depth, in all communities affected by unsafe injection practices. We especially encourage anyone who has been affected by unsafe injection practices to contact us, at .