"The House of Representatives turned a collective blind eye to science today so that some members could sound tough on drugs," said Seth Kilbourn, HRC's senior policy advocate for health issues. "What they did in reality, however, was vote to strip local communities of this chance to save lives.

"There is ample evidence that needle exchange programs save lives by stemming the spread of HIV and AIDS without encouraging illegal drug use. But a majority of the House decided not to let the facts get in the way of demagoguing the issue."

By a vote of 266 to 158, the House passed an amendment to the $270 billion Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill. The amendment would remove the ability of the Health and Human Services secretary to allow local communities to use federal funds for needle exchange programs. Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, originally wrote the amendment. It was introduced by Reps. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

The Senate version of the appropriations bill retains the secretary's authority to determine federal policy.

"The Human Rights Campaign will work with House and Senate conferees to make sure that the final bill allows science, not politics, to lead this issue," Kilbourn said.

Needle exchange programs provide intravenous drug users with sterile syringes in exchange for used ones. Such programs have been implemented in more than 100 communities around the country, and have been shown to stem the spread of HIV and other blood-borne diseases transmitted through the sharing of injection equipment.

Approximately one-third of reported AIDS cases is related to intravenous drug use.

Current law says that federal funds may not be used for needle exchange programs unless the Department of Health and Human Services gives the green light, which it has not done.

In February, a report by HHS found that needle exchange programs are effective in slowing the spread of HIV and AIDS. Six federally funded studies have reported that needle exchange programs reduce HIV transmission and do not increase drug use.

Also in February, a panel of public health experts at the National Institutes of Health concluded that needle exchange programs are a powerful and proven weapon in the war against HIV and AIDS.

Plus, a majority of the American public -- 55 percent -- favors needle exchange programs as a method to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS, according to a bipartisan poll conducted for the Human Rights Campaign.

The poll found 55 percent "strongly favor" or "somewhat favor" needle exchange programs while 38 percent "somewhat oppose" or "strongly oppose" them. The poll was conducted for HRC by the Tarrance Group, a Republican firm, and Lake Sosin Snell and Associates, Democratic pollsters. The results are based on a survey of 1,000 registered voters contacted between April 8-10.

The poll found that 64 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of independents and 45 percent of Republicans favor needle exchange programs. In addition, needle exchange finds support in ever region of the country, with 64 percent of Americans favoring it in the West, 60 percent in the Northeast, 51 percent in the South and 49 percent in the Midwest. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.

In July, the American Medical Association endorsed needle exchange programs, joining such groups as the American Public Health Association, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The American Bar Association endorsed them in August.