The link between amphetamine-type stimulant use and the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne viruses in Southeast Asia

There are growing concerns regarding the link between amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) use and the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne viruses (BBV) in the Southeast Asian region. In January 2011, the Australian National Council on Drugs, through its Asia–Pacific

Drug Issues Committee and with funding provided by the Expert Advisory Committee on Asia–Pacific Regional Drug Issues, commissioned a review to investigate these concerns. This review focuses on the 11 countries in Southeast Asia (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam) and covers four key areas:

• the link between ATS use and the risk of HIV and BBV transmission via injecting or sexual routes
• an analysis of HIV risk among ATS users compared to the HIV risk of opioid users
• the interventions currently in place, both internationally and at the Southeast Asian regional level, to address ATS use in terms of HIV prevention and the effectiveness of these interventions, and
• recommendations for future research.

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