Before 2007, Congress prohibited Washington, D.C. from using municipal funds to operate a syringe exchange program (SEP). The prohibition was lifted in 2008 and the city initiated a SEP. This study shows that following implementation of the SEP program, injection drug use related HIV infections declined significantly, indicating that SEPs are an effective strategy to reduce HIV infection in populations who inject drugs.
Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Impact Evaluation of a Policy Intervention for HIV Prevention in Washington, DC
A study of whether initiating a syringe exchange program in Washington D.C. reduced HIV infections rates.