Waching daily Feb 15 2017

Ever since heroin use started

surging, cases of viral

hepatitis C have also been on

the

rise.

Hep C is commonly spread through

shared needles among drug

users, and others

getting stuck by used needles.

27 First News reporter Lindsey

Watson has been telling us about

the

link between viral hepatitis and

the opioid epidemic all day

long.

She joins us now with the final

part of her series.

[A19]27VR2 27 INVESTIGATES-SG

[A20]20170214 HEP SWEEPS

LATE-STUDIO

And a final answer to your

questions... What are health

experts here in the Valley doing

to combat the spread of viral

Hepatitis... and put an end to

the

Opioid Epidemic? Plans for

things like needle exchange

programs... that some might even

consider to be controversial...

may be what finally brings

an end to both of these public

health emergencies.

The spread of viral hepatitis,

can in a large part be a direct

impact of the raging

heroin epidemic. According to

public health officials here in

the Valley, some

acute hepatitis C infections go

away with treatment within a few

months, but about

two-thirds of cases turn into

long-term, chronic infections,

which can cause liver damage,

liver cancer and even death.

NOW WE HAVE THESE NEWER

MEDICATIONS THAT WITHIN 8 WEEKS

IN

SOME CASES, LONGER FOR DIFFERENT

TYPES OF HEPATITIS C

WE'RE SEEING PATIENTS WITH ZERO

VIRAL LOAD WITHIN SEVERAL

WEEKS OF STARTING THE

MEDICATION. -brown

Public health officials here in

the Valley have been in talks

to establish needle

exchange programs to help put an

end to the problem.

PREVENTON IS THE BEST METHOD OF

PREVENTING THE DISEASE AND THAT

IS BY NOT SHARING NEEDLES WITH

SOMEONE WHO HAS USED A

NEEDLE.-swann There are

currently 228 syringe service

programs in 35 US states, the

district of Colombia and Puerto

Rico. In Ohio, there

are currently four Needle

Exchange Programs in the state,

and only three in

Pennsylvania. The closest

programs to us being Cleveland

and Pittsburgh.

In Trumbull County the thought

of a needle exchange program is

in the early

planning stages.

IT IS AN EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM

THAT IS PROVEN TO REDUCE THE

SPREAD OF VIRAL HEPATITIS. IT

DOES NOT PROMOTE DRUG USE,

PEOPLE

WHO USE DRUGS ARE PROBABLY GOING

TO CONTINUE TO USE

DRUGS UNTIL THEY GET SOME TYPE

OF RECOVERY OR REHABILITATION

HELP. -swann Health Experts say

needle exchanges

also give public health workers

a chance to educate drug users,

and provide other

health services at the same

time.

IT A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE

WHEN YOU BEGIN TO PROVIDE

NEEDLES TO INJECTION DRUG USERS

IN THE COMMUNITY. IT'S A

VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS TO VETT

THAT THROUGH

AND MAKING SURE THAT'S SOMETHING

THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO DO-

THAT THERE IS COMMUNITY SUPPORT

SO I'M NOT GOING TO

RULE IT OUT IN THE FUTURE BUT I

THINK NOW IT'S STILL IN

SUPPORT SO I'M NOT GOING TO RULE

IT OUT IN THE FUTURE BUT I THINK

NOW IT'S STILL IN

DISCUSSION.-wes Which is why

health departments in Columbiana

and Mahoning Counties

haven't ruled out the idea.

WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO CONDUCT

SURVELLIENCE AND TALK TO OUR

COMMUNITY PARTNERS.-erica

IT'S A COSTLY PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE

HOPING TO GET SOME COMMITMENT

AND BUY IN TO PUT COMMUNITY TO

SET SOMETHING LIKE

THAT UP SO THAT WE DO PREVENT

THE RISE IN HEPATITIS C.-swann

[A22]20170214 HEP SWEEPS

LATE-STUDIO.

Again... bringing a needle

exchange program to Trumbull...

or any other county

Again... bringing a needle

exchange program to Trumbull...

or any other county

here in the Valley is still in

the beginning stages of

discussion... and even planning.

Trumbull's Combined Health

District is however... Trying to

get the funding to

launch a program like this...

hopefully to put an end to the

spread of Viral Hepatitis... and

eventually the Opioid Epidemic

as a whole. If you missed any

part in this series... or want

more information on anything you

saw, head over to our website...

WKBN.com

Reporting live in the studio...

Lindsey Watson 27 first news at

11.

For more infomation >> Another epidemic is emerging alongside the heroin and opioid crisis - Duration: 3:54.

-------------------------------------------

Wright State baseball is preseason favorite - Duration: 0:31.

THE HORIZON LEAGUE BASEBALL

POLL WAS RELEASED TODAY..

UNDER FIRST-YEAR COACH JEFF

MERCER.. WRIGHT STATE IS

PICKED AS THE PRESEASON

FAVORITE.WE HAVE A STANDARD OF

EXCELLENCE AND I'M EXCITED TO

CONTINUE THAT TRADITION AND

THAT GOES BACK TO WHEN I WAS A

PLAYER HERE AND GRADUATED AND

GOT A CHANCE TO COME BACK AS A

COACH. SO I'M EXCITED TO

CONTINUE TO ELEVATE THAT

TRADITION, LIVE THE LIFESTYLE

THAT WE'VE LIVED AND HOPEFULLY

GO AHEAD AND WIN A BUNCH OF

BALLGAMES.

WRIGHT STATE RECEIVED SIX

FIRST-PLACE VOTES... THE

RAIDERS WON THE HORIZON LEAGUE