Director of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention Luo Yijun responded to the Shen Boyang Community Center controversy: The harm reduction strategy has achieved remarkable results, with new HIV infections falling to less than 20 people

Luo Yijun, director of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention, said that there is currently a strict management mechanism for the community distribution of clean needles, and methadone replacement therapy needs to be carried out in medical institutions. After promoting the harm reduction plan, the AIDS epidemic has been significantly reduced. (Photo by reporter Huang Yijing)

Shen Boyang, a Taipei mayoral candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party, pointed out in an article in 2014 that the idea of "building community centers to provide drug users with drugs and clean needles" was dug up by the blue camp and became a topic of election attack and defense. Luo Yijun, director of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention, said that there is currently a strict management mechanism for the community distribution of clean needles. Methadone replacement therapy needs to be carried out in medical institutions. After promoting the harm reduction plan, the AIDS epidemic has dropped significantly. The number of people infected with AIDS due to injection drugs every year has dropped to less than 20, which has significant benefits. As for what he calls community centers to distribute drugs, he needs to clarify it himself. "I can't say anything for him."

In a joint interview with the media today, Luo Yijun, director of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that the AIDS epidemic in China has been on the rise since 2005, with nearly 2,500 new infections a year. After the introduction of harm reduction measures such as methadone replacement therapy and clean needles, the current AIDS epidemic has dropped significantly. The number of AIDS infections due to injection drugs has dropped to less than 20 people each year, which has significant benefits. In addition to effective AIDS control, it has also allowed the country to eliminate hepatitis C and reduce the number of heroin users. According to research estimates from the School of Public Health of National Taiwan University, between 2005 and 2020, a total of tens of thousands of intravenous drug addicts will be prevented from contracting AIDS, and more than 400 billion yuan in AIDS-related medical expenses will be saved. It is a very cost-effective solution.

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Luo Yijun said that since Taiwan incorporated harm reduction strategies into AIDS-related laws and regulations in 2007, hospitals and civil organizations in the community can set up clean needle distribution points, but they must be approved by the health authorities, and the staff must also receive approval or training, and there is a strict management mechanism; as for Mesa Winter Although it is addictive, through professional medical management, it is an internationally recognized effective and safe method to replace heroin with a relatively low-harm method. The distribution of methadol requires the presence of doctors, pharmacists, and nursing staff in medical institutions. There are implementation difficulties in distributing methadol in the community.

As for what Shen Boyang meant by "community centers providing drugs," Luo Yijun said, "He (Shen Boyang) may need to clarify more, and I can't say anything for him."

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