Policy brief : provision of sterile injecting equipment to reduce HIV transmission

Overview

The shared use of syringes and needles was recognized as being associated with HIV transmission among injecting drug users at the onset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Commonly referred to as syringe sharing or needle sharing, it involves two or more drug users sequentially using the same needle and/or syringe in order to inject a dose of liquefied drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines or buprenorphine. Behaviours that can lead to needle and syringe sharing include borrowing and lending, selling, buying and renting, or even picking up a syringe discarded by a previous user. A lack of a perceived risk of HIV infection can lead to the sharing of needles and syringes. Moreover, the practice of sharing can be strongly influenced by the context in which it occurs, group norms and rituals, inaccessibility of injecting equipment, and an inability to carry injecting equipment because of familial, social or legal environments.