For more information on this session, including access to speaker presentations, please see the conference Programme-at-a-Glance.

In late 2011, the U.S. reinstated the ban on federal funding for needle and syringe exchange programmes (NSEPs). In contradiction with PEPFAR guidance on HIV prevention for people who use drugs, the ban will impact both U.S. domestic programmes, including those in the District of Columbia, and U.S. donor contributions to PEPFAR, and other USAID, CDC, and NIH international programmes. This session will address the potential impacts of restrictions on NSEPs, and propose ways forward for public health actors, community stakeholders, and drug users themselves to maintain and expand comprehensive services, including needle and syringe exchanges, despite the limitations in funding, restrictive political environments, and other barriers to the implementation of this preventive intervention.

Introduction

The Role of Needle and Syringe Exchange Programmes in Comprehensive HIV Prevention

• Dr. Stefanie Strathdee, United States

Alternatives to NSEPs: Pharmacy Distribution, Community-Based Initiatives

• Anya Sarang, Russian Federation

In-Country Support for NSEPs: What Can Country Ownership Do for NSEPs?

• Xiaobin Cao, China

Addressing the NSEPs Shortfall in the USA: Local Problems, Local Solutions

• Paola Barahona, United States

Questions and Answers

Conclusion

Event Date

Jul 23, 2012