• Harm reduction
• What is harm reduction
• Harm reduction and HIV
• Evidence for harm reduction
• Support and opposition
• Implementing programmes

Key issues: harm reduction

This report from the International Harm Reduction Development Programme at the Open Society Institute argues that HIV infection is spreading rapidly among intravenous drug users (IDU) because of a lack of effective measures to reduce drug consumption. It finds that worldwide 10 per cent of HIV infections are due to injecting drug use, and this rises to 80 per cent in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The paper argues that the most effective approach to controlling drug use is not punitive anti-drug policies but the provision of harm reduction programmes.

According to the report, harm reduction programmes help drug users who are unable or unwilling to abstain from drug use to make positive changes to protect their health and the health of others. The paper outlines a five point harm reduction strategy. This includes making opiate substitution and effective drug-free treatment widely available, and scaling-up the provision of syringe exchange programmes. The report recommends increasing the provision of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to drug users who need it, and the development of sexual health programmes directed at the needs of drug users. The report also calls for the reform of drug laws to prevent widespread imprisonment of drug users and more measures to protect drug user’s human rights.

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