Needlestick Injuries Down 40 Percent Since 2000 Law Enacted, Study Shows

A survey of 85 hospitals found that reports of needlestick injuries have declined about 40 percent since the 2000 passage of the federal Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act.

Results of the survey, using data from the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia, appeared in the Feb. 16 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Co-author Elayne K. Phillips, director of research for the center, told Bloomberg BNA March 9 that the 2000 law, enforcement by workplace safety agencies, and development of medical devices reducing the chances of needlestick punctures have contributed to fewer accidents. ...