Integrating addiction medicine into primary care found to be clinically effective

"Providing these services in primary care settings and keeping patients healthier may help decrease costly emergency and hospital services by preventing overdoses and severe infections that can come with injection drug use," says Josh Barocas, M.D., associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Additionally, adopting harm-reduction kits in primary care settings is an act of compassion and would likely help vulnerable users feel more compelled to step forward when in need of help."