Pubdate: Wed, 23 Oct 2002
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2002 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441
Author: Paola Totaro
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/findUKP137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

NEEDLE SCHEMES STOP THOUSANDS OF HIV CASES

Australia's pioneering syringe exchange programs have prevented 25,000 new 
HIV infections and 21,000 hepatitis C infections in just 10 years, 
according to the Return on Investment in Needle Exchange and Syringe 
Programs Report released today at the HIV Medicine conference in Sydney. By 
2010, it is projected that needle exchange will have prevented 4,500 
AIDS-related deaths throughout Australia, saving an estimated $2.4 billion 
(US $1.3 billion) in public health funding.

The research, commissioned by the Commonwealth, analyzed 778 years of data 
from 103 cities worldwide, comparing HIV and hepatitis C infection among 
injecting drug users in countries with and without needle and syringe 
programs (NSPs). These data were then used to calculate the return on 
investment from NSPs in Australia from 1991 to 2000, providing potent, 
measurable evidence of the benefits of one of Australia's most 
controversial public health policies. The report's findings include:

* Cities with NSPs had an average annual 18.6 percent decrease in HIV 
prevalence compared with an average annual 8.1 percent increase in cities 
that did not introduce NSPs.

* In Australia, between 1991 - when they were running in all states except 
Tasmania - and 2000, NSPs have cost federal and state governments $130 
million (US $71.8 million).

* From this 10-year investment, public health savings of $2.4 billion (US 
$1.3 billion) were estimated in long-term HIV and hepatitis C treatment 
costs alone (allowing for conventional government discounting of 5 
percent). The savings were estimated at $7.7 billion (US $4.2 billion) 
without discounting.

* By 2010, NSPs will have prevented 90 deaths from hepatitis C. For HIV, 
this was calculated on the 25,000 avoided cases, an average lifespan of 24 
years after infection, and treatment cost of nearly $14,000 (US $7,700) for 
each year of life after diagnosis. Annual HIV treatment costs for the cases 
avoided are projected to reach a peak of $269 million (US $148.6 million) 
by 2008 as patients reach later stages of the disease. Annual treatment 
costs for hepatitis C cases avoided are projected to reach $18.8 million 
(US $10.4 million) by 2040 and decline thereafter. The costs are high 
despite the relatively low numbers because of the potential for progression 
to liver failure and the high costs of treatment.
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MAP posted-by: Beth