Centre for Research Excellence into Injecting Drug Use (CREIDU) launches

Press release from the Burnet Institute:

Introducing the NHMRC-funded Centre for Research Excellence into Injecting Drug Use (CREIDU) and the new website:  http://creidu.edu.au/

CREIDU is a collaboration between the Burnet Institute, the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, the Kirby Institute, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, the National Drug Research Institute, the University of Queensland, the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, Anex, Harm Reduction Victoria and Hepatitis Victoria.

CREIDU brings together researchers, policy-makers and community-sector representatives working in the fields of alcohol and illicit drugs, blood-borne virus transmission, justice health, mental health, and policy research.  CREIDU’s vision is to improve the health of people who inject drugs by generating new knowledge and effectively translating this into policy and practice. CREIDU also aims to build capacity in the sector through education and training for students, early-career researchers and community sector workers.

The Centre currently supports six PhD students and conducts regular colloquiums and training activities. CREIDU also provides seed-funding for research and other projects on an annual basis. Recent events detailed on the website have included:

  • What’s new in viral hepatitis and injecting drug use? (2012)
  • Prisoner health is public health (2012)
  • Suboxone in Australia: The path ahead (2012)
  • Improving drug policy & practice through research (2011)

CREIDU has also developed a series of policy briefs on topics that require policy attention, including:

  • Safe injecting facilities: reducing harm and improving public safety and amenity – Prof Robert Power.
  • Future directions in hepatitis C treatment: closing in on a cure for the vast majority – Prof Greg Dore.
  • People who inject drugs can be successfully treated for hepatitis C (HCV), and treatment has the potential to reduce the community prevalence of HCV –Prof Margaret Hellard.
  • Improving responses to opioid overdose through naloxone – Prof Paul Dietze & Prof Simon Lenton.
  • Increasing hepatitis B vaccination in people who inject drugs – Prof Lisa Maher.

These and other resources can be found on the CREIDU website.  We encourage you to utilise this resource.