Cleaning used injecting equipment

Published: 01 October 2011

The following method is not guaranteed to make injecting with used equipment safe. There is still a risk of infection from bacteria on the needle, or the possibility of transmitting a hepatitis virus. However, it does minimise the risk of HIV transmission.

A disinfected syringe is not as safe as a new, sterile syringe. Recommendations about disinfecting syringes with bleach or others agents apply only to situations in which IDUs do not have sterile syringes. Current disinfection recommendations are based on the following steps:

  • Flushing out blood, drugs, and other organic matter from the syringe. These can contain viruses and do interfere with the disinfection process.
  • Disinfecting the syringe.
  • Rinsing out the disinfectant.

The idea behind these steps is to reduce the risk of HIV transmission in two ways. First, flushing removes blood and drugs from the syringe, which reduces the number of viral particles. Second, using a disinfectant can kill remaining viruses so they can’t infect anyone else.1

It is not true that injecting equipment that looks clean is free from infection. Infectious quantities of HIV and hepatitis can live in droplets of blood that are much smaller than the eye can see. There is no way of being certain that used works are free of infection.

References

  1. Department for Health and Human Services, USA, and US Centers for Disease Control A comprehensive approach: preventing blood-borne infections among injection drug users. National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, 2001
This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.
Community Consensus Statement on Access to HIV Treatment and its Use for Prevention

Together, we can make it happen

We can end HIV soon if people have equal access to HIV drugs as treatment and as PrEP, and have free choice over whether to take them.

Launched today, the Community Consensus Statement is a basic set of principles aimed at making sure that happens.

The Community Consensus Statement is a joint initiative of AVAC, EATG, MSMGF, GNP+, HIV i-Base, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, ITPC and NAM/aidsmap
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This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.

NAM’s information is intended to support, rather than replace, consultation with a healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor or another member of your healthcare team for advice tailored to your situation.