Needle Exchange Needed in U.S. HIV-Prevention Program

More than150 international organizations, including the Open Society Institute, urged the United States—the single largest donor for HIV/AIDS programs worldwide—to include syringe exchange in its comprehensive HIV prevention program. In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the groups called for updated guidelines for combating the epidemic among injection drug users. Excluding Sub-Saharan Africa, HIV infections due to intravenous drug use account for one-third of new diagnoses, and needle exchange programs have proven to be an effective tool for mitigating this public health concern.