Global Coverage of Harm Reduction Programs

Australasia is the only global region with high coverage of needle and syringe exchange programs and opioid agonist treatment, and globally only nine countries (Australia, Mexico, Canada, the USA, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) are implementing all five harm reduction services examined in a study, published in The Lancet Global Health. In the systematic review, Dr Samantha Colledge-Frisby from Curtin University, Australia and her colleagues reviewed data from 177 studies and reports with relevant information on availability of needle and syringe exchange programs (88 studies), opioid agonist treatment (72), take-home naloxone programs (28), supervised consumption facilities (7), and drug checking services (15).

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Full study results can be accessed here.