Media release

National Council backs needle programs

The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) today launched its position paper on Needle and Syringe Programs (NSP) at a national Satellite Meeting for NSP Workers (being held as a prelude to the 3rd Australasian Conference on Hepatitis C) in Melbourne.

Chairman of the ANCD, Major Brian Watters, said “Needle and Syringe Programs were established in the face of an international HIV epidemic in the 1980’s and increasingly through the 1990’s. Since that time this public policy initiative, along with a range of other innovative strategies, has been shown to have played a vital role in minimising the impact of this virus on our community. Hepatitis C and other blood borne viral infections remain a significant concern for everyone and especially for injecting drug users. Given this, Needle and Syringe Programs, particularly those able to offer a range of supporting services, will need to continue to be an integral part of our policy response to these public health issues.”

As part of its role to provide policy advice, the ANCD has sought opinion from the key advisory body with responsibility for this issue, the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Disease (ANCAHRD).

Major Watters said that ANCAHRD’s support for the ANCD position paper was very important to ensure comprehensive and consistent advice is provided to governments. Major Watters described the relationships between the two National Council’s as strong and cooperative – a point echoed by Dr Jonathon Anderson of ANCAHRD who co-launched the ANCD’s paper.

ANCD Executive Officer, Mr Vumbaca added, “Considerable evidence now exists to support Needle and Syringe Programs on many different levels – cost effectiveness, its role in reducing the incidence of HIV and the unique opportunity for contact with injecting drug users. Whilst these achievements ought to be celebrated, there is no room for complacency, as the issues related to the access and appropriateness of current Needle and Syringe Programs for specific communities – such as prisoners, Indigenous people and those from a non-English speaking background – remain areas where more work is required.”Major Watters went on to say “While the ANCD acknowledges the virtues of Needle and Syringe Programs in the context of the past, it is time to review this policy and identify where further work can be done to improve outcomes for the community. It is important to emphasise that this program, although aimed primarily at injecting drug users, can benefit the entire community by minimising the spread of blood borne viral infections. The ANCD have made a number of very specific recommendations in its paper, including issues related to access to needles and syringes, the role of pharmacists, understandable public concern over inappropriate disposal of injecting equipment and the role of the media in accurately assessing the value of Needle and Syringe Programs not only to injecting drug users, but the wider community.” In summary, the Council’s recommendations include:

The expansion of efforts to provide education and information to reduce Hepatitis C transmissions amongst injecting drug users;
Encouragement of community-based, decentralized service provision to reduce concern over concentrations of injecting drug users around particular services;
Innovative strategies to be employed within custodial settings to reduce the risks of infection for incarcerated people, including the development of policies and protocols regarding the introduction of a trial Needle and Syringe Program;
Positive engagement of the broader community about the rationale behind, and achievements of, Needle and Syringe Programs, including more accurate reporting of these concepts within the media; and
Specific measures to promote culturally appropriate services – particularly for Indigenous and non-English speaking communities. The ANCD also acknowledges that Needle and Syringe Programs are an important part of our National Drug Strategy. Australia’s Strategy represents a continuum of policies and programs – from prevention to harm reduction – all of which are vital and deserving of our support.

In conclusion, Mr Vumbaca said “Australia is rightfully regarded by many other countries to have one of the most innovative and successful policy approaches to the reduction of HIV transmission in the world. The courage demonstrated by policy makers in the 1980s in the face of a significant public health concern is to be applauded, and the ANCD urges those now occupying these positions to take on the recommendations offered by the Council, for the betterment of the health of all Australians.”

24 March 2002

The Australian National Council on Drugs is the peak advisory body to Government on drug policy established by the Prime Minister in 1998.

For further information, please contact:

Major Brian Watters (Chairman) 0400 780 509

Mr Gino Vumbaca (Executive Officer) 0408 244 552

Top of page

Whilst all care has been made to ensure only authorised material appears on this site, the Australian National Council on Drugs accepts no responsibility for inaccurate or false representations appearing herein.