Prison Needle Exchange Programs Reduce Healthcare Costs

Medscape December 19, 2024
Fran Lowry

Canada’s prison needle exchange programs (PNEPs) not only reduce bloodborne infections but also are cost-effective, according to a new study.

The results suggest that every dollar invested in current PNEPs or in expanding these programs would save $2 in hepatitis C and injection-related infection treatment costs.

This return on investment strongly supports the ongoing maintenance and expansion of these programs, the authors state.

“Needle exchange programs are evidence-based strategies that prevent transmission of bloodborne viruses, reduce injection-related infections, improve access to medical care, and facilitate entry into substance dependence programs for people who inject drugs,” first author Farah Houdroge, PhD, a mathematical modeler at the Burnet Institute in Melbourne, Australia, said in a statement.

The research was published on...

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