About the Hub

The Harm Reduction Supplies Knowledge Hub is a platform that facilitates access to information about the life cycle of harm reduction supplies and provides reliable and trusted resources to harm reduction programs, in total independence from suppliers and any commercial activities.

Background and Rationale: Most harm reduction programs distribute some kind of supplies to support safer drug use but face numerous challenges related to the acceptability, design, quality, price, and sourcing of these supplies:

• Relevant scientific publications are often inaccessible to harm reductionists and the selection of supplies is mostly based on practice, rather than evidence-based research.
• Programs often get supplies information by word-of-mouth and select by default. The lack of choice in procurement often leads to unreasonable prices and inadequate supply selection. 
• The existing market dynamics with little competition limits product innovation, with detrimental impact on satisfaction, adherence, and therefore health outcomes.
• Supplies are rarely independently evaluated under simulated conditions and results are never publicized. Problems of quality and appropriateness are often reported anecdotally.

The Harm Reduction Supplies Knowledge Hub does not promote the use of drugs but seeks at reducing their health impact.

Mission of the Hub: To promote the right to health through access to information related to all steps of the life cycle of harm reduction supplies by:

• Centralizing and summarizing scientific publications                                                         to guide best practice         at Seeking Publications related to HIV, HCV and Skin & Vein Wounds
• Making available the largest list of suppliers, supplies, and their information               to facilitate sourcing            at Sourcing Supplies
• Providing a space to comment on the supply's appropriateness                                     to voice (dis)satisfaction     at Comments
• Lab testing these supplies under simulated conditions and posting reports                 to expose quality                  at  Lab Evaluation Reports
• Providing recommendations on how to procure these supplies                                       to guide procurement         at Procuring
• Suggesting advice on how to best manage and store these supplies                            to support management     at Storing & Managing
• Offering guidance on how to monitor the usage of these supplies                                   to guide monitoring            at Monitoring
• Providing recommendations on how to dispose of wastes                                                 to advise on disposing      at Disposing
• Supplying examples of documents about how to best use the supplies                          to support good usage      at Informing   
• Providing guidance on how to evaluate these supplies' impact                                        to ensure impact                  at Evaluating
• Sharing pioneering practices related to harm reduction supplies                                    to instill new ideas               at Pioneering Practices
• Offering a general discussion forum related to harm reduction supplies                        to share experience            at General Forum

Overarching goal: To maximize health outcomes of harm reduction programs providing supplies to people who use drugs and curb transmission of HIV, HCV, and wounds on skin & veins. 

Audience: Harm reduction program managers, harm reductionists, and policy makers

The Team behind the Hub:

Editor/Administrator: Pierre de Vasson, independent consultant in supply chain supporting harm reduction programs, Canada

Role: Updating the Hub with scientific publications reviewed and recommended by the Advisory Board. The steps consist of:

• Selecting and summarizing peer-reviewed publications, proposing them to the Advisory Board for review on a quarterly basis, and posting them on Scientific Publications
• Collecting and posting information about harm reduction supplies and suppliers on Existing Supplies
• Coordinating testing with laboratories, after the Advisory Board recommends the type of supplies and the tests to be performed, and posting reports on Lab. Evaluation Reports
• Moderating postings on Supplies Comments and General Forum

Advisory Board:

• Community :  Brun González, Drug Policy Programme, espolea, Mexico
                           Dr. Eliot Albers, Executive Director of International Network of People who Use Drugs, INPUD, England
• On scientific research: Prof. Traci Green, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology (Research), Brown University, USA
                                               Dr. Dan Werb, former Senior Research Assistant, Urban Health Research Initiative at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Canada
• On epidemiology, virology, and pharmacology: Prof. Lisa Maher, Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology and Prevention Program, Kirby University, Australia
                                                                                       Prof. Robert Heimer, Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases) and of Pharmacology, Yale University, USA
                                                                                       Dr. Eike Steinmann, Group Leader at the Experimental Virology research group of Twincore, Germany   
• On implementation: Pascal Tanguay,  former Deputy Country Representative, PSI Champion IDU, Thailand
                                        Nathalie Rose, former coordinator, Collectif Urgence Toxida, Mauritius
                                        Dr. Mukta Sharma, Technical Officer, WHO/SEARO, Thailand
                                        Stella Iwuagwu, former Executive Director, Center for the Right to Health, Nigeria
• On legal issues:TBD
• International Organizations: Dr. Martin Donoghoe,  Programme Manager, HIV/AIDS, STIs and Viral Hepatitis, WHO/Europe, Denmark
                                                       Mauro Guarinieri, Senior Advisor, Community Systems Strengthening and Key Populations, The Global Fund, Switzerland

Role: Reviewing and recommending on the appropriateness of the scientific publications proposed by the Editor/Administrator on a quarterly basis, before there are posted. The same applies to lab evaluation reports. 

Should you need to contact the Hub to recommend a scientific publication, submit a new supply/supplier, make a comment on a laboratory evaluation report, or provide a feedback, please visit the page Contact.

Declaration of Conflict of Interest: The members of Advisory Board and  the Editor/Administrator declare no conflict of interest.

Disclaimer: The Harm Reduction Supplies Knowledge Hub

• Does not favor one supply against another and is strictly independent from suppliers
• Strives to collect and post the maximum information freely available
• Conveys scientific publications as well as the voices of harm reductionists and people who use drugs; the opinion are those of the authors and are not, in fact nor by implication, representations made by the Hub, its Editor or the Advisory Board
• Does not promote the use of drugs but seeks at reducing their health impact

The Hub is of free access. When you visit or register to make comments you are therefore agreeing with this disclaimer.