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NEWS: Needle exchange saves Aus $4 for every $1 spent

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bit_pattern

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Good to see the success of this programme has been quantified
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Syringe programs save money
Thursday, 22 October 2009
University of New South Wales

Every dollar spent on Australia’s needle and syringe programs (NSPs) saves state and federal budgets four dollars by preventing life-threatening infections, according to research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

UNSW’s National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR) found that the 30 million needles and syringes distributed every year in Australia since 2000 have directly prevented more than 32,000 cases of HIV infection and close to 100,000 cases of hepatitis C, representing a saving in healthcare costs of almost $1.3 billion.

The findings will be released on Thursday 22 October in the report, Return on Investment 2: Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of needle and syringe programs in Australia, commissioned by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing. Launching the report in Sydney in conjunction with the UNSW researchers will be Professor Michael Kidd, chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections and Dr John Herron, chair of the Australian National Council on Drugs.

Led by Associate Professor David Wilson, the NCHECR team used a range of clinical, behavioural and economic data to analyse how effective NSPs have been in preventing the life-threatening HIV infections and hepatitis C, which are easily transmitted when injecting drug users do not have access to sterile injecting equipment.

A/Professor Wilson said: “After more than two decades of successful operation, NSPs remain a cornerstone of Australia’s HIV prevention strategy and a primary reason why we have largely contained the epidemic in this country.

“Additionally, Australia’s NSPs have proven to be a foundation for preventing transmission of the more infectious hepatitis C virus.

“This study provides strong evidence to suggest that increased spending should be invested in expanding NSPs. Not only would it significantly reduce health burdens but it will ultimately save Australian taxpayers substantial amounts of money,” he said.

From 2000 to 2009, needle and syringe programs cost a total of $243 million. The national NSP costs are made up of nearly 1,000 sites around the country, including outlets, clinics, pharmacies and vending machines, which distribute sterile injecting equipment.

“As well as the health care savings, needle and syringe programs have given us substantial gains in quality and length of life in Australia,” said the study’s health economist Dr Jonathan Anderson.

“The infections prevented by the program led to Australians gaining 140,000 extra Disability Adjusted Life Years, meaning people lived in better health for longer,” he said.

The report indicates that an additional 50 per cent increase in distribution of sterile injecting equipment could lead to optimal results, yielding a further 37 per cent decrease in HIV and 23 per cent decrease in hepatitis C cases over the next 10 years.

A copy of the report will be available here.
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Awesome! Directly preventing liver and immune system diseases as well as cutting healthcare costs!
 
I just saw this ons SBS. It was an excellent non-biased story, bravo to SBS for airing it!
 
Heard about it on the ABC, as well

Definitely an unquantifiable social investment...
 
Statistics like these still wont stop the brainwashed morons who think there is something immoral about supplying "junkies" with the paraphernilia they need to use drugs free of charge.
 
i recently started working in a pharmacy and i couldnt believe how many 1ml syringes are sold everyday
 
You'll notice that this is in fact the second return on investment study done on Aussie NSPs. The first one was in 2002, commissioned by the Howard government.

It didn't get much of a run in the media at the time - funny that...

The return on investment demonstrated in that report was more like 16:1. It's probably less now because of the huge success in keeping HIV rates down having a knock on impact on projected new HIV infections if no NSP.
 
if there were one thing i could improve on the NSP it would the the priovision of micron filters at all hospitals and exchanges. i have no problem paying for them but not every IV user has the intiative of buying them online or where they're available.

it's great to see such statistics
 
^basically you will generally only be able to buy these filters at fully funded NSPs - where NSP service provision is core business and effort will be made to source non-funded consumables (like filters, tourniquets, sterile water etc).
 
yeah my only experience where i could buy micron filters from an NSP was at the exchange in the brisbane CBD, i forgot the actual name of it but that doesn't matter. i usually order them online when i need them - which i do need more of right now because i've been shooting morphine and oxy without them.

i can't even get any of my local pharmacies to order them(microns) for me. some of them didn't even have a clue what i was talking about.

maybe the non-funded (like most hospitals and ATODS centres) exchanges could implement the same scheme as the funded and sell microns to further out source even more harm reduction consumables ie - water, syringes, wipes etc.
 
leftwing said:
yeah my only experience where i could buy micron filters from an NSP was at the exchange in the brisbane CBD, i forgot the actual name of it but that doesn't matter.
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I imagine the NSP you're thinking of is Biala on Roma St. :)
 
That's it..... :)

The little alleyway behind the magistrates court. May St to be exact. :)
 
^ yeh at the biala clinic they sell them for $2 and give you two vials of sterile water with each one. From memory they're open 24 hours too? I haven't seen them for sale online.. I'm guessing it'd be against the guidlines to provide a link right?
 
belarki said:
^ yeh at the biala clinic they sell them for $2 and give you two vials of sterile water with each one. From memory they're open 24 hours too? I haven't seen them for sale online.. I'm guessing it'd be against the guidlines to provide a link right?
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I actually bought a box very cheap from a popular auction site.
 
belarki said:
^ yeh at the biala clinic they sell them for $2 and give you two vials of sterile water with each one. From memory they're open 24 hours too? I haven't seen them for sale online.. I'm guessing it'd be against the guidlines to provide a link right?
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yeah they're 24 hours as far as i know, well i've been there pretty late at night after finishing up at the strippers and the irish pub. and yeah, you can provide any links to harm reduction consumables like micron filter, syringes, etc. well i know we do in OD and over other parts so i'm sure it's fine in here. maybe just check the guidelines out

last time i went to that exchange me and another brisbane bluelighter saved this chick who looked like she was about to get attacked by some washed up user so she gave us...free water!!! besides pharmacies, i've never had to pay for saline solution anywhere.

you've got no excuse not to buy microns when you're already there and they only cost $2, that's chump change. of course they work out cheaper when you buy bulk online though. i can send you a couple of links if you like belarki?

maddboy, are you referring to ebay? i've never bothered to search there for anything IV related, might do that now:)
 
belarki said:
^ yeh at the biala clinic they sell them for $2 and give you two vials of sterile water with each one. From memory they're open 24 hours too? I haven't seen them for sale online.. I'm guessing it'd be against the guidlines to provide a link right?
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Links to IV HR measures are acceptable in AusDD so long as they sell these items exclusively. Any sites that also sell legal highs, pharmaceuticals or otherwise are not permitted. :)
 
You could try via manufacturers directly (Millipore for example) - but they may not sell to you unless you work in the health sector in some way.

An alternative might be Sterifilts. They are a nominal 10um filter, but they remove 90%+ of particles 5um-10um so virtually 5um. This is not really good enough for regular pill injection, but a lot better than nothing (or even cotton wool - about 50um filter) for the occasional thing. They also only cost about 30c, and fit right over the needle of a 1ml + 27g/29g insulin syringe. I would prefer to check with Australian supplier before providing contact details...
 
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