A comprehensive approach to addiction medicine as an appropriate response to the HIV epidemic among drug users

The services for drug-dependence treatment and care, particularly in low-income countries, should not be fragmented and uncoordinated. A basic package of interventions should be provided in the same place and managed by the same team, with a one-stop shop approach. The services for substance use disorders should be appealing, accessible, voluntary-based, and science-based. They should also, like efforts to fight other diseases, be included in the community and the public health systems; that is, those who are affected by drug use and those who serve them should not face discrimination. The first-line assistance and the second-line essential elements of the comprehensive package will be described. The work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Health Organization (WHO) to promote science-based and voluntary-based ethical treatment in Asia will be illustrated.