Publications

The Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use

The Consensus Statement identifies key issues and recommendations for action to respond effectively to injecting drug use and HIV. The Reference Group calls on countries to pursue evidence-based strategies that are protective of human rights in order to effectively control the spread of HIV among people who inject drugs and the wider community.

Mathers BM, Degenhardt L, Ali H, Wiessing L, Hickman M, Mattick RP, Myers B, Ambekar A, Strathdee SA, for the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

The Reference Group undertook a large-scale systematic review of available data on the provision of HIV prevention, treatment and care services for people who inject drugs, in order to derive national, regional and global level estimates of service coverage. Worldwide coverage of HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in IDU populations is very low. There is an urgent need to improve coverage of these services in this at-risk population.

Mathers BM, Degenhardt L, Phillips B, Wiessing L, Hickman M, Strathdee SA, Wodak A, Panda S, Tyndall M, Toufik A, Mattick RP, for the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use

The Reference Group undertook a large-scale systematic literature review to derive national, regional and global level estimates of the prevalence of injecting drug use and HIV among people who inject drugs. It was estimated that at the end of 2007 there were 15.9 million injecting drug users (IDUs) worldwide, with an estimated 3 million of these IDUs living with HIV.

Roberts A, Mathers BM, Degenhardt L, on behalf of the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

An examination of the characteristics and needs of female injecting drug users, the contexts of their drug use, and the risks they experience.

Degenhardt L, Larance B, Mathers BM, Azim T, Kamarulzaman A, Mattick R, Panda S, Toufik A, Tyndall M, Wiessing L, Wodak A, on behalf of the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

A significant number of people inject opioids manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. These are intended for medical use, but at some point in the chain between production and prescribed consumption, they are diverted for what is termed extra-medical use. This report reviews the extent of pharmaceutical opioid injection around the world and the consequent harms. Strategies to reduce these harms are explored.

Degenhardt L, Mathers BM, Guarinieri M, Panda S, Phillips B, Strathdee SA, Tyndall M, Wiessing L, Wodak A, Howard J, and the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

Amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) have become the focus of increasing attention worldwide. Use may be more prevalent in East and South East Asia, North America, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and a number of European countries. Evidence suggests that complex issues surround meth/amphetamine use requiring novel and sophisticated approaches. These challenges have not been met with sufficient investment of time or resources to address them.

Degenhardt L, Mathers BM, Guarinieri M, Panda S, Phillips B, Strathdee SA, Tyndall M, Wiessing L, Wodak A, on behalf of the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

The Reference Group undertook a literature review to examine methamphetamine and amphetamine (meth/amphetamine) injection globally. This report summarises regional and global findings on the extent of meth/amphetamine use, and explores the evidence on the association between meth/amphetamine use and HIV.