What is the effectiveness of supervised injection services?

Key take-home messages

• The use of supervised injection services can lead to reductions in injecting behaviour and an increase in the number of clients accessing addiction treatment services.
• Supervised injection services can be cost saving when the analysis takes into account their capacity to reduce transmission of blood-borne diseases, namely HIV and HCV.
• People who inject at supervised injection sites feel safer than those who inject publically.
• Overdose morbidity and mortality are reduced when clients inject at supervised injection sites. Clients who inject at supervised injection sites receive education on safer injecting practices that helps reduce injection-related morbidity.
• When nursing care is provided at supervised injection sites, clients access the nursing services frequently.
• Supervised injection sites do not lead to any significant disruptions in public order or safety in the neighbourhoods where they are located.
• Supervised injection sites pose a few challenges based on their operating models and regulations: if capacity does not meet demand there may be long lines that dissuade some clients from injecting at the facility; there will still be times when clients have no choice but to inject elsewhere when facilities are not open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week; some clients cannot inject independently and will not use a SIS that prohibits assisted injections; and when facilities prohibit splitting or sharing drugs on site, some clients might be excluded.

• Population(s)
  • People who use drugs
  • Other
• Prevention
  • Drug use behaviours/harm reduction
• Health Systems
  • Financial arrangements
  • Delivery arrangements