In a speech to members of the Canadian Medical Association on August 18, 2008, federal health minister Tony Clement scolded physicians and nurses for their support of Vancouver’s safer injection site, Insite.

RNAO supports the mission and staff of Insite as an evidence-based health service that demonstrates harm reduction benefits of value to individual well-being and public health.

An open letter to Minister Clement in support of Insite was organized by nursing student, Elizabeth Lee, and endorsed by RNAO in July 2008. To read this letter and related advocacy by nurses on Insite and harm reduction, please see below:

Letter to Minister Clement in support of Insite (July 29, 2008)

RNAO Resolution: Advocacy on a Public Health, Evidence-Based Approach to Insite carried at Canadian Nurses Association AGM, 2007

Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Resolution: Promoting Equity through Harm Reduction in Nursing Practice carried at Canadian Nurses Association AGM, 2007

Related Resources:

Canadian Nurses Association (2008), Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses

College of Nurses of Ontario (2005), Practice Standard: Ethics

Globe and Mail article, August 19, 2008 Supporting Insite unethical, Clement tells doctors

Globe and Mail article, August 6, 2008 Clement’s Insite attack leaves WHO red-faced

Health Canada, Final Report of the Expert Advisory Committee on the Supervised Injection Site (2008)

Vancouver Coastal Health, Insite, supervised injection site, website: