Water for Injection
Policy Brief on Sterile Water Products
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Policy Brief #2 on Sterile Water Products- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Product Description: Sterile Water for Injection
OHRDP distributes sterile water for injection in 10ml vials which are intended for SINGLE USE ONLY. Clients must be reminded of this and discouraged from multiple usage. This water is sterile, contains no microbial agents and no added substances. This is not the ideal size, but at the present time there is no smaller sterile water for injection option available in Ontario. OHRDP continues efforts to secure a supplier of 1.4 - 3ml sterile water containers, which are recommended to prepare for an injection.
- Remove the plastic cap
- Wipe the top of vial with a fresh alcohol swab
- Turn the vial upside down
- Insert the needle as straight as you can into the soft gel cap (grey) of the bottle to avoid bending the needle
- Pull the plunger to allow the desired amount of water into the syringe
- Push the plunger to release the water from the syringe
- Once opened, the water should not be kept for subsequent injections, as it will contain bacteria from the air and has the potential of being used by another person.
- Inserting the needle through the gel cap will contribute to the dulling of the needle. Take the opportunity when distributing the vials to clients to discuss the importance of single use of needles and of other equipment. Discuss using a second sterile needle to inject with instead of using the dull needle used to draw the water up.
- This water will freeze in colder temperatures.
- Due to its 10ml size, there is a risk that people will share this water increasing the chance that small amounts of blood from another injector will be deposited into the water creating a risk for HIV, HCV or other bacterial transmission.
- Non-sterile water (for example bottled or distilled water) can be contaminated with bacteria and can lead to health problems, like skin abscesses and infections, having serious health implications.
- The injection of non-sterile fluids other than sterile water such as saliva, rain or puddle water or urinal water will expose a person to bacteria and other organisms causing potential infection or illness.
- Refer to OHRDP Policy Brief on Sterile Water Products for more information and discussion on the debate between the use of sterile water for injection and sterile water for inhalation for use when injecting.
- Strike C, Leonard L, Millson M, Anstice S, Berkeley N, Medd E. Ontario Needle Exchange Programs: Best Practices Recommendations. Toronto: Ontario Needle Exchange Coordinating Committee 2006
- Getting off Right, A Safety Manual for Injection Drug Users, Harm Reduction Coalition
- www.exchangesupplies.org/publications/safer_injecting_briefing/section3.html
Procedure for Use
If cooking the drug, once the water has been drawn into the syringe, it should be slowly squirted into the cooker. A new needle should be used to draw the water-drug mixture up from the cooker. Remind clients to use a new clean filter. All equipment used for injection should be new, sterile and single use only.
Discussion/Associated Risks
Sources
