£4.1 million cost saving forecast as result of safer syringes

Work conducted by members of our Drug and Alcohol HIT has led to ‘low dead space’ syringes being phased into Bristol’s needle and syringe programme.

A low dead space syringe has less space between the needle and the plunger when it’s fully pushed in, compared to traditional injecting equipment. It also has a detachable needle. The ‘dead’ space in a syringe holds blood after it’s been used. Previous research has found that low dead space syringes could reduce the chance of spreading infections, if they’re re-used or shared.

Phasing in low dead space syringes is forecast to result in a £4.1 million cost saving over the next 50 years through reduction in hepatitis C transmission and treatment. The initiative is also expected to result in quality-adjusted life year gains of 1,000 years over the same time period.

Find out more about the low dead space project.