Document 0444
 DOCN  M9650444
 TI    Syringe exchange: HIV prevention, key findings, and future directions.
 DT    9605
 AU    Paone D; Des Jarlais DC; Gangloff R; Milliken J; Friedman SR; Beth
       Israel Medical Center, Chemical Dependency Institute, New; York, NY
       10003, USA.
 SO    Int J Addict. 1995;30(12):1647-83. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96122207
 AB    HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) has now been documented in over 60
       countries in the world, and there are an additional 40 countries where
       injecting drug use has been reported including widespread epidemics in
       Southeast and southern Asia and in Latin America. At present HIV
       infection is almost always fatal, and there is no promise that a
       preventive vaccine will become available soon. Given the enormity of the
       HIV epidemic among IDUs and the critical need to reduce the spread of
       HIV transmission to and from IDUs, prevention efforts are essential.
       Syringe-exchange programs have become a major component of HIV
       prevention strategies in most developed countries and work within the
       philosophy of harm reduction. Increasing access to sterile syringes has
       been met with considerable controversy. Opponents of syringe exchange
       have generally argued that increasing access to sterile syringes would
       simultaneously increase the number of injecting drug users, increase the
       frequency of injection for already active IDUs, and appear to condone an
       illegal behavior. To date many research studies and four major reviews
       of syringe exchange literature have been conducted. All studies thus far
       have shown no increase in illicit drug injection associated with syringe
       exchanges, and significant decrease in drug risk behaviors.
 DE    Cross-Sectional Studies  Forecasting  Health Services
       Accessibility/TRENDS  Human  HIV Infections/*PREVENTION &
       CONTROL/TRANSMISSION  Incidence  Needle-Exchange Programs/*TRENDS
       Program Evaluation  Substance Abuse,
       Intravenous/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*REHABILITATION  JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW
       REVIEW, TUTORIAL

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).