NIH Director Endorses Needle Exchange Research

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

NIH Director Endorses Needle Exchange Research

Washington Post (12/20/96) P. A13

Abstract: A controversial needle exchange study has been approved by the director of the National Institutes of Health, despite charges from a health industry watchdog group that it is "immoral and unethical." NIH Director Harold Varmus said that the $2.4 million study, which would compare the impact of two methods of needle distribution on the rate of infectious disease among injection drug users, could be initiated as long as the participants are offered shots against hepatitis B. Half of the participants will be allowed to exchange used needles for clean ones, while the other half will be told how and where they can buy needles from drugstores. Current and former drug users are participating, so the study will not only assess impact of the two methods on disease, but also determine if the former users would be more likely to relapse to drug use if clean needles were available. The Public Citizens' Health Research Group contends that the study would increase the disease risk among those drug users who will not receive free needles.

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