Pubdate: Sat, 23 Aug 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n796/a02.html
Author: Dr. Keith Martin, MP

INSITE CRITICISM BASED ON IDEOLOGY, NOT SCIENCE

Re: Clement Slams CMA Over Insite, Aug. 19.

Despite federal Health Minister Tony Clement's outrageous comments,
the reality remains, the B. C. Supreme Court has given Vancouver's
safe injection clinic the green light to stay open. It has also
essentially told the federal government to change the nation's laws so
that other cities could open up similar programs.

Regardless of Stephen Harper's decision to challenge the ruling, those
are the facts. The real question, then, is why is this government
embracing anecdotal opinion pieces over the 25 peer-reviewed research
papers published in prominent medical journals? The answer can only be
that we are seeing a shocking display of the triumph of ideology over
science; opinion over fact.

What the Minister and this Conservative government are unwilling to
admit is the success story that Insite has turned out to be.

It's time the federal government embraces the science, discards the
ideology and supports the broader use of supervised injection sites as
part of an array of tools needed to address one of our society's most
pressing social ills.

Dr. Keith Martin, MP for Esquimalt, Juan de Fuca, B. C.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake