NOTHING ILLEGAL AT AIDS CLINIC: POLICE

Having Nurses Teach Drug Users Safe Injection Breaks No Law

A Vancouver police spokeswoman says there's nothing illegal about nurses
observing drug addicts inject cocaine and heroin at the Dr. Peter Centre
for people with HIV and AIDS.

"Nurses are not injecting these individuals with the drug," Constable Sarah
Bloor said Friday.

"They're teaching them about proper usage of intravenous needles. There's
no criminal connection, so we wouldn't be seeking any action."

The new counselling service at the West End drop-in clinic was disclosed
Thursday at a news conference where AIDS Vancouver and other groups
endorsed a report calling for federally-funded "safe injection facilities"
in Vancouver and other Canadian cities.

Maxine Davis, executive director of the Dr. Peter Centre, said nurses have
observed about 10 patients inject drugs at the centre, some several times,
since December.

The centre is funded by the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, named after Dr.
Peter Jepson-Young, who died of AIDS in 1992. The drop-in centre -- which
offers everything from art therapy to physiotherapy -- is used daily by
about 150 people with HIV [human immunodeficiency virus] and AIDS [acquired
immune deficiency syndrome.]

Mark Virgin, a lawyer who chairs the foundation's board of directors, said
Friday that staff informed the board last December that nurses were
starting to observe drug addicts inject illegal drugs in the centre.

The board agreed that observing drug injections and advising addicts how to
inject drugs was something the centre should do, he said, noting the
centre's mission is to comfort and aid people who are living with HIV/AIDS.

"It's not something that is in any way condoning drug use," Virgin said.
"It's assisting in the health care of people who are already addicted. Safe
injection of drugs is part and parcel of their health care. And staff are
very involved in counselling clients about the means available for
cessation of drug use."

Virgin said the Dr. Peter Centre has no plans to open a safe injection
centre for drug users -- something advocated this week by the Canadian
HIV-AIDS Legal Network, which called for facilities across the country
within a year.

Last September, a report prepared for a meeting of federal and provincial
health ministers recommended a feasibility study on "establishing a
scientific medical research project regarding a supervised injection site
in Canada."

The report pointed to estimates that 125,000 Canadians are now using
injection drugs. It also warned the direct and indirect costs of HIV and
AIDs spread by injection drug use could cost $8.7 billion over six years,
if current trends continue.

Health Canada spokesman Andrew Swift confirmed Friday the federal
government has made no commitments to date on "supervised" injection sites
- -- the term he said Ottawa prefers to use because the word "safe" has too
much of a positive connotation.

Swift said a federal-provincial committee on injection drug use is still
considering the proposal.

"We think it's important to continue the dialogue among the stakeholders,"
he said, listing the federal, provincial and governments, community health
and law enforcement agencies.

Swift refused to comment on developments at the Dr. Peter Centre.

"The question should really be directed to the province of British
Columbia," he said, noting that medical practices come under provincial
jurisdiction.

Public affairs officials with the B.C. government referred interview
requests to B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman and B.C. Health Services
Minister Colin Hansen, who didn't call back.