Needle Exchange Programs: Research Suggests Promise as an AIDS Prevention Strategy

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed needle exchange programs' effectiveness in reducing the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), focusing on: (1) the success of domestic and international needle exchange programs; (2) the credibility of a Yale University forecasting model that estimates the impact of needle exchange programs on the spread of HIV; and (3) whether federal funds could be allocated for needle exchange program studies and demonstrations.