A MORPHINE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM IN ITALY (1980-1985) - RETROSPECTIVE EVIDENCE OF PROTECTION AGAINST HIV AIDS/

The purpose of this study was to determine if morphine programmes impl emented in the city of Naples between 1980 and 1985 might have contrib uted to the low HIV prevalence rate detected among injecting drug user s (IDU's). A case-control study was condusted, comparing 69 HIV-positi ve and 266 HIV-negative IDU's attending a large drug treatment centre in Naples in the period 1980-84. Cases were less likely than HIV-negat ive controls to have been prescribed morphine, though the difference w as only marginally significant (odds ratio = 0.57; 0.20-1.35). The res ults suggest that HIV infection tended to be less common among those p rescribed morphine. These findings are somewhat unexpected considering that the alternative treatment was represented by methadone provided orally. However, methadone was often given at low, insufficient doses, and was associated with persistent unsafe drug infection. Persons pre scribed morphine were able to visit pharmacies every day where they we re also able to purchase sterile injection equipment. The suspension o f the morphine programmes should be re-evaluated on the basis of these new results.