Retractable syringes are Dangerous

The Darwin based drug user organisation Network Against Prohibition (NAP) has called on the Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to stop the trial of retractable syringes in Australian Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs).

NAP has labelled the trial a dangerous experiment on human beings that could have disastrous consequences.

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said “Retractable syringes are a serious threat to Australia’s first class public health approach to the HIV epidemic.”

The syringe manufacturers have billed their products as “the ultimate solution to unsafe injecting practices.”

Many healthcare workers are concerned that the retractable syringe will increase rates of HIV and hepatitis C transmission because drug users will be using an unfamiliar and untested piece of medical equipment, they will be more likely to have to help each other inject and that they will go back to reusing conventional syringes when the Federal Government phase them out as planned.

The private company engaged to facilitate the trial, the Research Forum, has ignored concerns about possible harm, including serious vein damage and an increased risk of exposure to HIV or hepatitis C, that these experimental devices could do to participants in the trial. The Research Forum has pressed ahead with the trial despite serious opposition from the harm reduction sector.

The Network has lodged a complaint with the ethics committee overseeing the trial of retractable syringes at the Kirketon Road Centre in Sydney’s King’s Cross but at this stage has had no response.

Earlier this week the Network asked Tony Abbott to dismiss former Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge from his position as chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Council on AIDS Sexual Health and Hepatitis after the revelation that he is on the payroll of the syringe manufacturer Ritract.

Gary Meyerhoff said “Wooldridge has used the information he had access to as Health Minister and as global chairperson for UNAIDS to ensure that his company is in the best possible position to break into the multi-million dollar global syringe market.”

“Tony Abbott has continued Wooldridge’s access to privileged information. This is clearly a conflict of interest and if Wooldridge doesn’t resign Tony Abbott has no option but to sack him.”

For more information call Gary Meyerhoff on 0415 162525 or see:

http://www.napnt.org/arse/syringegate.html

Further contacts:

Jennie Shortt (Assistant Director) Department of Health and Ageing Retractable Needle and Syringe Initiative: Population Health Division (02) 6289 1555

The Department’s Retractable Syringe website: http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/needle/

Dr Ingrid van Beek (Director) Kirketon Road Centre: (02) 9360 2766

Dr Fadil Pedic - The Research Forum: (02) 9687 4744

Ritract: (02) 8923 2511

South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service Research Ethics Committee:

(02) 9382 3587