Pubdate: Sat, 02 Apr 2005 Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 The Calgary Sun Contact: http://www.fyicalgary.com/calsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67 Author: Nadia Moharib, Calgary Sun Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis) CRACK-PIPE PROGRAM RESULTS INTEREST CHR Time will tell if providing free crack pipes is a practical tool to reduce transmission of hepatitis C and other diseases, says a Calgary Health Region physician. CHR's deputy medical officer of health, Dr. Judy MacDonald, said yesterday officials here are interested in seeing what the recent launch of a clean crack-pipe program in Ottawa will reveal in terms of harm reduction and the spread of diseases like hepatitis C. MacDonald said it "is important to look at intervention tools such as needle exchange programs," but it is too premature to endorse or dismiss such a program for this city. "There is always a risk when sharing items which have been in peoples' mouths -- there is just not a lot of evidence to say it is a prime way (hepatitis C) is transmitted," MacDonald said. "We do know, with the sharing of needles, it is a very high-risk factor across Canada ... what we're dealing with now is a lack of evidence as to how important this crack-pipe sharing might be in terms of hep C and other organisms." "We obviously will be very interested in their program and what outcomes are and what they find," MacDonald said. Ald. Druh Farrell recently said Calgary should consider its own clean crack-pipe program, along with increased enforcement, to crack down on dealers supplying the drug and combat the spread of disease. MacDonald said the number of hepatitis C cases have remained steady at about 600 to 650 a year in recent years, she said. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager