Insite could run without feds' OK

Source: The Province

Operators of Dr. Peter Centre offering similar service rely on nursing ethics
David Carrigg, The Province
Published: Monday, October 29, 2007

VANCOUVER - Vancouver's largest supervised injection site does not need Health Canada's permission to operate, says the head of a smaller injection site that operates without federal permission.

"A Section 56 exemption [of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act] isn't needed," said Maxine Davis, head of the Dr. Peter Centre of Vancouver. "We've very confident of the position we're taking."

The Dr. Peter Centre provides a supervised injection site for 50 of its 300 clients. Those clients are HIV-positive and some are homeless with mental-health and drug-addiction problems. The centre's injection site opened in April 2002, prior to the opening of the Insite supervised injection site in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Davis said the Dr. Peter Centre does not need Health Canada permission to operate because it is not part of a scientific study Insite is involved in. A Section 56 exemption was needed for the Insite study to be undertaken.

Davis said she's confident her centre's facility is legal under the B.C. Nurses Act because of a nurse's duty of patient care. She said the same would apply to Insite, meaning it's not subject to Health Canada approval.

The centre's supervised injection facility opened after two overdose deaths at the centre's old location at St. Paul's Hospital.

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