Pressure mounts to keep injection site
LISA PRIEST
With reports from André Picard and Rod Mickleburgh
Canada's Health Minister Tony Clement was put under the spotlight yesterday when supporters of a safe-injection site for IV drug users demanded to know whether the federal government was going to renew its legal exemption.
But Mr. Clement was not providing hints on what the future holds for Vancouver's landmark safe-injection site, which sparked the concern of doctors, researchers and drug users.
"The evidence is irrefutable," Julio Montaner, director of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV-AIDS and president-elect of the International AIDS Society, said at a press conference yesterday.
Researchers cited studies they had done on Insite, a place where drug addicts get clean needles, medical help in the event of an overdose and assistance entering detoxification programs, should they desire it. For instance, a study published in The Lancet found the safe-injection site has reduced overall rates of needle-sharing in the community. (Those who share needles run the risk of spreading HIV.)


Any thoughts on the efficacy of this? I would say that currently, I am cautiously in favour of safe-injection sites.

I'm all for it. Sterile, brand new disposable syringes and such is cheap compared to the costs of caring for the disease ridden later on. Any reduction in the spread of these hideous health maladies associated with HIV and it's relatives is a good thing.