A final report from a committee created to examine research around Vancouver’s controversial supervised injection site appears to be largely positive.
The report agrees that Insite hasn’t noticeably affected crime rates in the the city’s drug-riddled Downtown Eastside, hasn’t increased petty crime around the neighbourhood, doesn’t influence rates of drug use and relapse among drug users, and has contributed to an increased use of detox and treatment services.
“Insite encourages users to seek counseling, detoxification and treatment,” reads the report, released Friday afternoon. “Such activities have contributed to an increased use of detoxification services and increased engagement in treatment.”
Dr. Thomas Kerr, the lead researcher at Insite and a scientist with the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, says the report validates the existence of the injection site.
“It confirms our research in many areas indicating that Insite is having many benefits and not causing any harm,” he said.
But Kerr added the report, which has not yet been scientifically peer reviewed, makes several significant factual errors. A stated cost to run the site of $3 million, for example, is double what Kerr believes to be the actual price tag.
Either way, Kerr hopes the report provides enough evidence that Insite should be operated permanently, rather than on the year-to-year Health Canada exemptions that threaten to shut the facility every few months.
“I think it's up to the government to do the right thing and honour the findings of the report,” he said. “We've now had an evaluation and we've had an evaluation of the evaluation and we've come up with fairly consistent messages about the place. It's time to move on.”
Kerr wants the government to look at expanding injection sites rather than continually evaluating Insite.
But Health Minister Tony Clement has long been skeptical of Insite, approving only temporary extensions of the facility which was first approved by the previous Liberal government.
"There has been more research done, and some of it has been questioning of the research that has already taken place and questioning of the methodology of those associated with Insite," Clement said at a medical conference in B.C. last August. "Clearly, there is a public debate going on, and clearly there is an academic debate going on."
The latest extension allows Insite to operate until June 30, 2008.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Tony Clement said a decision on Insite would come before then.
“We haven't made a decision yet but I can tell you that the minister is reviewing the report very carefully and will consider it when he makes his decision,” said Rita Smith, director of communications in the minister’s office.
