The Safe Injection Site is Staying Open!
On Friday, the Federal Government issued a press release saying that Insite will remain open until December 2007. I'm relieved. 18 more months of operation is a victory. You can read the press release here:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/2006/2006_85_e.html
The tone of the release is a little bit negative, though. I guess I shouldn't expect the Conservatives to get wholeheartedly behind something like this, but I am disappointed that they feel they need to do further "research". Research should continue, yes, but I think the papers that have come out already give us enough information to know the site is not encouraging drug use, and is in fact helping. And the Ministry of Health seems to have missed the point of harm reduction altogether. They say they need more proof that the SIS is helping people get off drugs. While this would be a nice outcome, it was never the main objective of the SIS to get people off drugs. (Never mind that a study has shown that regular Insite participants are twice as likely to enter detox than non-insite users.) As I see it, the main objectives of the site are to save lives and reduce the spread of infections like HIV and Hepatits C. The Minister didn't even mention the progress that has been made on these goals.
Oh well. the important thing is that the doors stay open. I think this is an amazing example of what a great project, solid research and a lot of pressure from the community can accomplish. I know the government was very uncomfortable with the idea of Safe Injection Sites, and they still managed to come around to keeping the doors open.
I guess I can check this "change" off my list.... for now. I imagine we'll be back to talking about this again as December 2007 approaches. Maybe I'll write Health Minister Tony Clement to let him know how much I appreciate his decision....
Comments
Well Tony Clement is a
Well Tony Clement is a pretty smart guy and if the evidence is out there then I think he'll give it a fair review.
I personally have a hard time trusting "studies" done by people with a political agenda, on either side of an issue. So for me it would be hard to read statements about the effectiveness of the site that come only from those that work there, because they are significantly convinced in their own mind beforehand.
Not doubting their integrity, just their perspective. So hopefully there will be material by neutral parties that will support your point of view.
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Questioning scientists?When
Questioning scientists?
When you're questioning the objectivitity the SIS study, you're questioning the integrity of highly respected scientists working on this project and suggesting their results - and the results of similar studies in progressive (Netherlands, Germany) and conservative (Australia) countries alike are somehow politically - and not scientifically - motivated. Having said that, questioning everything isn't such a bad thing.
The impressive quality of Vancouver's SIS project - in my opinion - is that it is based in science - science that Clement could not ignore. For that reason, he won't be able to ignore the evidence a year from now, any more than he can today.
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You obviously know what you
You obviously know what you are talking about on this issue. So I guess the science will win out over the politics.
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Sarah - hey, thanks so much
Sarah - hey, thanks so much for what you do, and what you did on that particular change. Please don't stop blogging here. It's encouraging to me (see my blog about integrating those of us who live in gastown, with money and homes, with those of us who live here who are marginalized) I have huge respect for street nurses, and also would be interested in reading 'a day in the life'. Despite my daily walks through the neighbourhood, there is still soooo much I don't understand/know about, and you could offer some valuable perspective and information (if you're not sick to death of doing so).
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I think the important thing
I think the important thing is that the government has responded positively to the fact that businesses, local government, politicians of all political stripes (save their own) and residents all support the supervised injection site.
If that doesn't change - and many of us don't believe it will - neither will the government's decision. The research already supports the model. The government will simply need to renew it's commitment to the site next year, even if they do not agree ideologically with the project. They can't afford not to do so. The medical evidence, combined with the public support, is too strong.
Great work to everyone who advocated on this issue. It's pretty cool to see something change, isn't it?