Health Minister Tony Clement weighed in on the controversy last week, calling into question the ethics of physicians who support the harm-reduction facility. According to Clement, the “injection site undercuts the ethics of medical practice and sets a debilitating example for all physicians and nurses.”
At issue is Insite, which opened its doors in the Downtown Eastside section of Vancouver in 2003 under an exemption from federal drug laws. Clients use safe injection sites like Insite to inject their own drugs under the supervision of trained medical staff. The idea is to reduce harm to users and decrease other negative consequences of drug abuse. Clement and the conservative Canadian government oppose Insite, citing the practice of “supervised overdoses” as unethical and claiming that the facility has done little to reduce drug overdose deaths. However, a government-appointed panel concluded otherwise in April, noting that Insite has saved money and lives and that most health officials want the service to continue.
Safe injection sites treat drug addiction as an illness rather than a crime. That distinction has stirred controversy in and around Vancouver, which went down a “drug-fueled spiral” in the years leading up to Insite’s opening. Opponents of Insite think drug users should be in rehab or behind bars, while supporters sharply criticize Clement and say the closing of the facility could result in the deaths of users.
Does Insite prevent the spread of disease and save lives? Or is it an unethical blemish on Canadian healthcare? Either way, the controversy isn’t going away anytime soon. Physicians, politicians, and drug users: stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment