DC CFAR Investigator, Dr. Monica Ruiz (GW), DC CFAR SBS Core Research Manager, Ms. Allison O'Rourke (GW), and colleagues published an article in JAIDS December 2019 entitled "Using Interrupted Time Series Analysis to Measure the Impact of Legalized Syringe Exchange on HIV Diagnoses in Baltimore and Philadelphia".
The authors describe how syringe exchange programs impacted new HIV diagnoses in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Using surveillance data for injection drug use (IDU) associated HIV diagnoses, the authors obtained estimates for averted HIV diagnoses and forecast numbers expected if policies remained the same. The article highlights the importance of policy change in ending the HIV epidemic.