We are working to reduce health risks and social harm for people who inject drugs. Preventing viral infections, such as hepatitis C, and fatal drug overdoses is an important global public health issue. People who inject drugs are most at risk of hepatitis C viral infection in Australia. Our work focuses on contributing and learning from evidence through research, treatment practice and community-based programs.
We are contributing to reducing the risk of viral infection, fatal overdose and wider alcohol and drug related harm in Australia and globally by:
- working with communities to reduce risky behaviours in injecting drug use, methamphetamine use, and related emerging behavioural issues that we identify in other areas of our work
- increasing the capacity of health professionals, researchers, policy makers and the general community through education and training.
Our multi-faceted approach to this work includes:
- education and training
- evidence-based research and treatment practice, including following cohorts of people who inject drugs and have hepatitis C, or are at risk of infection, using a social network approach
- working with researchers around the world to develop international cohorts of people with hepatitis C who inject drugs
- community-based harm reduction programs.
Our projects include:
- breaking the cycle: supporting people with drug use histories to avoid reincarceration
- a feasibility study for a potential medically supervised injecting centre/drug consumption service for the ACT
- Needle and Syringe Program Snapshot Study
- SuperMIX: The Melbourne Injecting Drug User Cohort Study.
