Nurse-led safer opioid supply and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis: a novel pilot project

Original research
by
Haines, Marlene & Patrick O'Byrne

Release Date

2022

Geography

Canada

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

To better provide services to people who use drugs, we present a prospective, single-group interventional study involving the creation of a partnership between a safer opioid supply program and an HIV PrEP program, both of which were nurse-led.

Findings/Key points

Most participants were able to successfully stay on PrEP and maintained good medication adherence. There were no PrEP discontinuations due to renal impairment and no participants tested positive for HIV. This novel integration of programs appeared to be a highly effective way to expand access to HIV prevention among people who use drugs.

Design/methods

HIV PrEP was offered to 42 individuals within the safer opioid supply program, resulting in 55% (n = 23) acceptance.

Keywords

Wrap-around services
Safer supply
Outcomes