HEALTH CANADA PANEL GIVES INJECTION SITE FAVOURABLE REVIEW

Group of Experts Finds Insite Is Having a Positive Impact and Even Saving Lives

Vancouver's much-debated supervised injection site for drug users is
well supported by the community, provides as much as $4 in benefits
for every dollar spent, doesn't cause increased drug use, doesn't
appear to affect crime rates, encourages users to get treatment, and
saves at least one person a year from dying of a drug overdose.

Those were some of the generally positive conclusions, made public
late Friday, of an expert advisory committee appointed by Health Canada.

The committee was appointed last year to review existing research on
Insite, as well as new studies commissioned, including one by Simon
Fraser University criminologist Neil Boyd on public order.

The committee's work was viewed with apprehension by local advocates
of the injection site as an effort by Health Minister Tony Clement to
look for negative information about the site in order to be able to
shut it down, in spite of numerous positive evaluations by the Centre
for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

But the committee of experts in addictions, mental health, and
criminology found that the evidence about the site's impacts was
generally favourable, although the experts did say they weren't
certain that conclusions about the site's impact on reducing HIV
infection were valid. The report also suggested other types of
research that could be done and it noted the limitations of existing studies.

The members agreed that the site serves about 8,000 people, although
their visits account for less than five per cent of all injections in
the Downtown Eastside.

"This limits the likelihood of significant direct impact from Insite
in the Downtown Eastside," said the report.

But Mayor Sam Sullivan, researchers and advocates see the committee's
review as generally positive.

"I think this makes it clear the site is not part of the problem,
it's part of the solution," said Sullivan. "It's also clear it
doesn't solve all the problems, since only five per cent of
injections are there, but I was very pleased with some of the other
observations, that it had helped people get to treatment and had
facilitated vaccinations [for pneumonia]."

Researcher Dr. Thomas Kerr agreed.

"Overall, the report is very positive and confirms our research that
the site is doing what it's supposed to do -- provide health benefits
without increasing harm," said Kerr, a researcher with the Centre for
Excellence on HIV/AIDS. "Now it's time for the federal government to
honour the findings and stop asking if this program should remain open."

The site currently has a federal exemption from narcotics laws that
goes to June 30 and allows the use of illegal drugs on the premises.
Rita Smith, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Tony Clement's office,
said a decision on whether to extend that exemption will be made
between now and June 30.

However, the Vancouver Police Union issued a statement late Friday
saying the review committee's report suggests that the site costs a
lot to run and serves only a tiny minority, doing little to reduce
infection rates or overdose deaths.

Union president Tom Stamatakis called it a "well-intentioned but
expensive failure."

Stamatakis's view was at odds with the generally positive public
opinion that was highlighted in Boyd's study. He found that 80 per
cent of a select group of police officers, business owners, residents
and service providers in the Downtown Eastside thought the site
should be expanded or retained. Just over half of the 20 police
officers interviewed had that opinion.

"It was certainly interesting for us to see the level of support for
Insite," said Boyd.

His team's original research on calls for service in the area
indicated that the site appeared to have no impact on drug dealing or
crime in the area.