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July 2005 Drugs policy branch wins national award
The Department of Human Services Drugs Policy and Services Branch has won the National Drug and Alcohol Award for Excellence in Prevention. The Branch received the award for its national Temazapam Injection—Ending the Australian Epidemic campaign. The campaign resulted in the removal of all Temazapam gel caps from the Australian market. The National Drug and Alcohol award win was a first for a government department—either state or national. The campaign has been described as one of the most significant outcomes in preventing drug-related harm nationally in the last five years. Nominating for the award, Drugs Policy and Service Branch Director Paul McDonald said as a result of the so-called heroin drought in mid-2001, there was a significant shift by injecting drug users to injecting Temazepam—prescribed to treat insomnia—gel caps. The shift saw large numbers of hospital admissions for vein and limb damage, severe harm and infection and loss of limb functioning among users. Extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders enabled the development of an effective Victorian response—the Temazepam Injection Prevention Initiative. ‘From its first wave, the campaign targeted medical practitioners, pharmacists and injecting drug users—reducing the PBS supply of Temazepam capsules in Victoria by 51 per cent,’ Mr McDonald said. ‘Since Temazepam injection was a national problem, the Victorian Drugs Policy and Services Branch then brought its strategy to the attention of the Australian Health Ministers Council and negotiated it through the complex web of interest groups and State and National committees.’ The Victorian campaign was then rolled out nationally, leading to a 99 per cent decrease in PBS supply of Temazepam capsules. In the end, pharmaceutical companies marketing the product withdrew gel caps from the Australian market. Temazepam is now only prescribed in tablet form. |
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