Safe Prevention Clinics: A Missouri Solution to Harm Reduction

I recently read: Addicts don’t need a ‘safe’ space to inject but proper treatment - Susan Dalgety

We have seen a growing movement offering patient services under the umbrella of “harm reduction.” The number one goal is to keep patients alive in the hope that they will, at some point, seek treatment. The widespread distribution of the opioid-reversal medication naloxone has been very positive and should be continued.

The harm reduction movement has gone further by advocating for Safe Injection Facilities (SIFs), also called Safe Consumption Sites. Patients can come to these sites and inject their own drugs under the supervision of staff. In the event of an overdose, a staff member can quickly revive the individual. SIFs have appeared in several countries and cities and are highly controversial. Most communities are strongly opposed to such clinics in their neighborhoods. Sadly, harm reduction has become a form of de facto “treatment,” and there is now a strong backlash against this approach.

I agree with Susan Dalgety. In an era where we have failed to stem the flow of opioids and other drugs, I am proposing a radically different approach—Safe Prevention Clinics (SPCs). Community pharmacies have a unique opportunity to become SPCs. We have highly effective medications like naltrexone that take harm reduction to the next level—harm avoidance.

SPCs should be able to dispense naltrexone under a statewide standing prescription, as has been done with naloxone, for patients who are at higher risk of using opioids and those who want to control their alcohol consumption. SPCs can also provide information on treatment options and educational materials explaining what naltrexone is.

This approach would be free of controversy and welcomed by the community. Naltrexone is one of the few medications that has not been widely deployed as a public health measure to combat the opioid and alcohol epidemics, which have killed over a million people in the last 20 years.

If you or a loved one in Missouri is struggling with opioid use, Assisted Recovery Centers of America offers evidence-based treatment and support across the region.

If you would like to connect with Percy Menzies, M. Pharm., regarding this article, you can reach him through his LinkedIn profile