HIV/AIDS COUNSELING AND TESTING POLICY FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ONDRUG ABUSE



NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 21, June 9, 1995



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  AIDS 

  0745007 

  Health and Safety Education 



National Institute on Drug Abuse



Purpose



Drug abuse and behaviors that transmit HIV are linked, and HIV risk

reduction interventions have been demonstrated to effectively reduce

these behaviors.  Therefore, the National Institute on Drug Abuse

(NIDA is establishing a policy intended to reduce drug abuse-related

transmission of HIV infection in its study populations.  The policy

strongly encourages NIDA-funded researchers to make HIV risk

reduction counseling and HIV testing available to research subjects

at high risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV.



AIDS is a major health problem among injection and other illicit drug

users in the United States.  In addition, the sexual partners of drug

users are at high risk of being exposed to HIV.  The majority of

children with AIDS are offspring of mothers who injected drugs or

were the sexual partners of drug users.  Given the tremendous impact

of the AIDS epidemic and the significant role of drug abuse in the

transmission of HIV, the NIDA has developed this policy intended to

help reduce HIV risk behaviors and infection in drug using

populations, their sexual partners, and their children.



As a public health research institute, NIDA believes that every

reasonable opportunity should be taken to prevent HIV transmission by

offering HIV education and counseling, including testing, to our

clientele.



Researchers funded by NIDA, who are conducting research in community

outreach settings, clinics, hospital settings, or clinical

laboratories and have ongoing contact with clients at risk for HIV

infection, are strongly encouraged to provide HIV risk reduction

education and counseling.  HIV counseling should include offering HIV

testing available on-site or by referral to other HIV testing

services.  Persons at risk for HIV infection include injection drug

users, crack cocaine users, and sexually active drug users and their

sexual partners.



In general, the opportunity to offer education and counseling will

occur in any clinical or laboratory study that provides diagnostic,

treatment, or other health or social services to participants over a

period of time.  NIDA recognizes that this policy may be difficult to

implement in some research settings, such as surveys and studies

where investigator-subject contacts occur only once and are brief.

However, researchers are strongly encouraged to make available HIV

risk reduction materials and counseling to participants.



For current grantees and contractors, NIDA will consider requests for

administrative supplemental funding to implement this recommendation

for ongoing studies.



INQUIRIES



Counseling materials developed by the NIDA AIDS Demonstration

Research project and materials developed by the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention are available through NIDA for use as models

by grantees and contractors.  Public Health Service approved

educational materials (manuals, brochures, and posters) may also be

obtained by calling or writing the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol

and Drug Information (1-800-729-6686) and the National AIDS

Information Clearinghouse (1-800-458-5231).



For additional information on this policy, contact



Dr. Harry W. Haverkos

Director, Office on AIDS

National Institute on Drug Abuse

5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9A30

Rockville, MD  20857

Telephone:  (301) 443-6046

Email:  hhaverko.aoada.ssw.dhhs.gov



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