My posting about methamphetamine and HIV incidence yesterday received a few responses.

Emily Rowe gave me permission to post her comment. Quote:

"Perhaps no scientific evidence but there is a documented extraordinary rise of ATS use among already at risk populations in the region (as I am sure you are very aware of). And as we know often ATS use leads to risky sexual practices. For example, meth use is very very high among transgender sex workers here in Bali. As well as male sex workers. And many already positive are choosing the meth over their ARV. So the correlation cant be denied, I think. There is growing interest in the issue but people clearly aren't publishing enough or many studies still in place. Let alone harm reduction approaches to ATS use in the region. If I get my hands on some updated unpublished research reports I will share."

I find that there is no scientific evidence that methamphetamine use increases HIV incidence. Experts say it better than I can:

"Overly simplistic conceptions of the association between sexual risk and meth/amphetamine use are unhelpful as there are multiple factors that may account for the relationship. ... An association between drug use, risk behaviour and HIV transmission does not immediately imply causality."

https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/methamphetamine%20injecting%20and%20HIV%20review.pdf

Harm reduction for methamphetamine users is best practice. But it may not decrease HIV incidence.

Jamie