Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Sterile Needles for HIV Prevention

Over and over again, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that the only way for people who inject drugs to avoid getting HIV/AIDS is for them to use a sterile needle with each injection. 

	2001 and 2002: Fact sheets on access to syringes  Guidelines for policies that save lives.
	1999: For injection drug users who cannot or will not stop injecting drugs, using sterile needles and syringes only once remains the safest, most effective approach for limiting HIV transmission.  To minimize the risk of HIV transmission, IDUs must have access to interventions that can help them protect their health.  They must be advised to always use sterile injection equipment; warned never to reuse needles, syringes, and other injection equipment; and told that using syringes that have been cleaned with bleach or other disinfectants is not as safe as using new, sterile syringes.(1)
	1993: Medical advice for persons who inject drugs: use a sterile syringe with each injection.  This advice was first put out by key U.S. government health agencies in 1993 and reaffirmed in 1997.(2)

Footnotes

(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1999. "Drug-Associated HIV Transmission Continues in the United States." August.

(2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources & Services Administration,
National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 1997. "HIV prevention bulletin: medical advice for persons who inject illicit drugs." May.

For a list of other materials used on this website, see References.