Safe Supply In The Midst of a Crisis of Unregulated Toxic Drug Deaths - A Commentary on Roberts and Humphreys (2023).

Abstract

Safe supply is an effective intervention conceptualized by people who use drugs to reduce drug toxicity deaths from the contaminated unregulated drug supply and improve the quality of life among people who use drugs during one of the deadliest but ignored public health crises. There are various forms of safe supply that have been around for decades with a wealth of evidence-based literature such as heroin assisted treatment but in this response to a commentary by Roberts and Humphreys we are focused on medicalized safe supply which is only available in a clinical setting and is available in most regions in Canada. A licensed healthcare professional assesses potential patients and, if indicated, will prescribe pharmaceutical drugs to those most at risk of experiencing drug related harms such as toxic drug death, contracting HIV and Hepatitis C, developing injection related infections, and other health and social issues. We believe that Roberts and Humphreys misunderstand the role of safe supply and hope this response articulates its importance in the continuum of care for people who use drugs.