The US Institute of Medicine is undertaking a review the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of strategies to prevent HIV transmission occurring through the use of contaminated injecting equipment by injecting drug users.
The efficacy, safety, and risks of programs aimed at reducing HIV transmission will be reviewed in order to assess the options for HIV prevention and treatment in countries where drug use is the primary driver of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Programs under consideration include needle/syringe exchange programs, disinfection programs, drug substitution, counselling and education, and drug treatment programs.
The review will include evidence from around the world and will particularly seek out evidence from affected regions such as Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, the Newly Independent States, Central Asia and South East Asia. Gerry Stimson and Alex Wodak from IHRA gave evidence at the first meeting in December.
Details of the review, and copies of slides presented at the meeting can be found at http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3783/30188.aspx
These slide sets include useful reviews of the evidence by Don des Jarlais (USA), Roel Coutinho (Netherlands), Gerry Stimson (UK), Alex Wodak (Australia), Michael Farrell (UK), Adeeba Kamarulzaman (Malaysia), Chris Beyrer, USA) and others, as well as presentations by some who are opposed to harm reduction. There is a helpful listing of relevant UN conventions and position statements, by Andrew Ball, WHO.
