Independent researchers have released new scientific findings on the impact of Vancouver's safe-injection site that they hope will answer the federal government's criticism that more study is needed before a decision is made on its future.

The Conservative government has been highly skeptical of the project, which opened its doors to addicts in Vancouver's troubled Downtown Eastside in 2003.

Dr. Evan Wood, chief author of the report, says that the impact of the safe injection site is 'remarkable.'
(CBC)

Health Minister Tony Clement is set to announce major changes to Canada's national drug strategy next week and there are fears they could spell the demise of North America's only safe-injection site.

The researchers have previously shown the facility has reduced the spread of HIV and reduced crime in the area.

In a paper published Friday in Addiction, the world's foremost medical journal on drug dependency, researchers with the independent B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS say the new results are also very clear.

They say InSite deserves credit for a 30 per cent increase in the number of addicts getting off the streets and into detox and treatment programs.

The report also notes that former addicts who went through detox tend to stick to methadone and other forms of addiction treatment. It concludes that InSite has helped to reduce the rates of injection use among users of the facility.

The chief author of the report, Dr. Evan Wood, said he was not expecting a 30 per cent increase in the use of detox and treatment services.

"It's a surprise that it's having that big an impact. The fact that the program is connecting people with addiction treatment and actually getting them off drugs, it's remarkable."

Wood said he hopes these latest findings will answer questions posed by the federal health minister. But he isn't optimistic.

"Unfortunately, every time we publish a study, they say, 'We need more information.' So we're happy to provide more information, but we're in the middle of a public health emergency here, so we need some action on their part."

'Lack of political will'

The London-based editors of the Addiction journal appear to agree. In an opinion piece accompanying Friday's report, they state:

"It is time for politicians who oppose [InSite] on the grounds more research is needed to be honest. It is a lack of political will, not lack of data, that is keeping these life-saving services out of the hands of our drug-dependent citizens."

Last year, Clement announced that the safe-injection site for heroin addicts could remain open until his department made a decision.

The health minister had said that additional studies would be conducted into how supervised injection sites affect crime prevention and treatment.