New INCB President on harm reduction

During its 113th Session, the INCB discussed the problem of achieving greater access to essential medicines, and universal access to drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

The new President Mr Werner Sipp warned that good drug control must not rely on interdiction but also on the measures mentioned above, amongst which he included ‘reduction of the adverse consequences of drug use’ – in other words, harm reduction. It is encouraging to hear that harm reduction measures should be included within a ‘well-balanced’ drug control system, even if the Board still cannot bring itself to articulate the ‘two word phrase’.

At this session, the INCB also discussed work on its report on access to controlled medicines, which will form a supplement to the Board’s next annual report.

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