Pubdate: Fri, 15 Sep 2006
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Maxine Davis, Executive Director,
Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation Vancouver
Note: Re: City's Other Safe Injection Site Operating Without Federal 
Permission," Sept. 8

DR. PETER CENTRE DIDN'T KNOW

To The Editor:

Your article regarding the Dr. Peter Centre's supervised injection 
service incorrectly conveyed that the Dr. Peter Centre did not 
receive a Section 56 Exemption because it failed to include a 
document about the building's security system ("City's other safe 
injection site operating without federal permission," Sept. 8). In 
accepting the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority invitation to be 
part of the Vancouver Supervised Injection Site Scientific Study, the 
Centre submitted all required documentation to VCHA for the Health 
Canada application process. VCHA and the Dr. Peter Centre learned 
only recently from Health Canada that the Section 56 application for 
the Centre had not been fully executed.

As your article noted, the Dr. Peter Centre initiated its supervised 
injection service in February 2002 based on the College of Registered 
Nurses of B.C. clarification of scope of practice for registered 
nurses. As an employer, the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation will ensure the 
Centre's registered nurses can practise according to the standards of 
practice set out by their regulatory body. Anything less would be 
failing to meet the Foundation's obligations to the Centre's nurses, 
and to the clients who give themselves intravenous injections.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Elaine