Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is a proven public health approach that reduces the adverse health, social, and economic outcomes related to a variety of risk-associated activities. HSC sees many patients seeking help related to substance use and clinical teams have been looking for improved ways to support the health and safety of this population. 

Harm Reduction Philosophy

Health Sciences Centre is committed to supporting policies, services and actions to reduce harm to individuals who use drugs, trade or sell sex, and are living with sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) and are disproportionately disadvantaged due to poverty, racism, discrimination, trauma and other social inequalities. By involving communities, families and individuals with lived experience, Health Sciences Centre will work to promote health equity for individuals who use drugs while respecting their autonomy.  This entails implementing the calls to action as outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.

Utilizing a harm reduction strategy allows for a pragmatic and evidence-informed approach to support and improve individual’s physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being by removing the barriers of access to health services. Our approach is person-centered, respecting patients as individuals that present with their own unique needs and strengths. We aim to reduce the health and social harms associated with substance use by adopting a non-judgmental and non-coercive approach to care.  

Naloxone Kits

As part of Health Sciences Centre’s harm reduction strategy, Naloxone take-home kits are now available to patients and their families in the adult emergency department, women’s obstetrical triage, ambulatory care clinic and the PsychHealth Centre.

Naloxone is an easy-to-use, life-saving medication that can reverse overdose or poisoning caused by opioids drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, codeine and “down” (a mixture of heroin and fentanyl).

We’re proud to be rolling out this first phase of our harm reduction strategy and hopes that it helps our patients and also our staff who can now offer one more tool to individuals who use drugs.

For information about naloxone please see the links below:

• How to Respond to Opioid Toxicity
• Naloxone Wakes You Up (Video) – Video on what naloxone is and how to use it (6:29 min)
• How to use Naloxone (Video) – Explains how to use naloxone, and the SAVE ME steps (3:21 min)

If you have received a naloxone kit from a health care provider, please complete this survey to help inform our future rollouts and harm reduction initiatives.