Pharmacy Needle Exchange

What is the needle exchange in Pharmacies?

The Irish Pharmacy Needle Exchange Service welcomes people who want sterile injecting equipment. Foil is available for people who want to smoke. People can return used equipment safely in small sharps bins provided in the packs.

Do I need to pay?

The service is free. The staff will ask for your initials and year of birth but this is not connected to any other health service and is confidential.

How to use the Service

Look out for a sticker on the front window of pharmacies taking part.

Ask pharmacy staff if you could talk in private. They may bring you into a separate area, the Consultation room.

Ask for needles for injecting or for foil.

Staff will ask you to return used equipment to the sharps bin in the pharmacy.

What is in the pack?

The standard pack contains:

a clean 1ml needle with a syringe/barrel
a spoon
an alcohol swab
citric acid
a small sharps container
condoms
an information leaflet on how to inject safely

Packs come in sizes of 3 needles or 10 needles. Some pharmacies also provide single packs.

Foil packs contain sheets of pre-cut foil in a cardboard pack.

Some pharmacies provide packs for 21 intramuscular injections. These are for injecting anabolic steroids for body building.

Pharmacies who supply steroid packs have a sticker with the steroid logo on the window

How do I know where these pharmacies are?

Pharmacies can be identified logos on the window or by contacting the HSE Drugs Helpline on 1800 459 459.

Pharmacies taking part are marked as X in the following counties (updated September 2024):

For support and information on alcohol and drug use, please contact the HSE Drugs and Alcohol Helpline on Freephone 1800 459 459 or Email: helpline@hse.ie. The Helpline is open Mon-Fri, 9.30am - 5.30pm and is confidential.

Links for downloadable information

Publications

Evans DS, Keenan E. Pharmacy Needle Exchange Programme: Review of Performance Indicators. HSE National Social Inclusion Office; 2024. Available on https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/40586/ .

Evans DS, Harnedy N, Keenan E. Community Pharmacy Needle Exchange Programme: What Can Analysis of the Data Tell Us about the Changing Drug Market in Ireland? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(3):289. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030289 2024..
Bingham, T. Review of needle exchange provision in Ireland available at: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/23916/). 2013.

Further information

For further information and to give feedback on the programme please contact:

Tim Bingham, National Pharmacy Liaison Worker- Tim.bingham@hse.ie or 0864104098
Norma Harnedy, National Liaison Pharmacist- NormaM.Harnedy@hse.ie