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DAILY UPDATE
DAY ONE/TWO
Sunday 11 and Monday 12 May 2008
The drug control agenda must be reshaped to
encompass human rights as well as law and
order, Professor Paul Hunt will tell delegates at
the opening session of Harm Reduction 2008.
Professor Hunt, the UN special rapporteur on
the right to the highest attainable standard of
health, will deliver this year’s ‘Rolleston Oration’ –
the keynote speech from a leading figure whose
development of drug policy and practice is
consistent with harm reduction principles.
The right to the attainable standard of health is
an inclusive right, Professor Hunt will explain, and
should apply to underlying determinants of health
as well as to medical care. Furthermore, this
fundamental human right means countries have
a legal obligation to put comprehensive harm
reduction services in place for people who use
drugs, he believes.
UN drug control bodies have traditionally
given little regard to human rights – just as UN
human rights bodies have ignored the health
benefits of harm reduction policies, neglecting
the opportunity to protect drug users and their
partners from negative health consequences.
Professor Hunt sees his role as special
rapporteur as chance to bridge this gap and
bring human rights violations to light.
As the health and human rights movement
has matured in recent years, stronger campaign
techniques have helped to bring human rights to
prominence, and they are now better integrated
to policymaking processes – including
programmes relating to those who use drugs.
Professor Hunt will urge us all to help reshape
the drug control agenda to make sure everyone
has the right to the highest attainable standard
of health.
The Rolleston Oration is named after Sir
Humphrey Rolleston, President to the Royal College
of Physicians, who chaired the UK Departmental
Committee on Morphine and Heroin Addiction. In
1926 this committee was responsible for a
landmark event in the history of harm reduction: it
decided that a heroin or morphine prescription was
a legitimate medical treatment for those whose
serious withdrawal symptoms could not be treated
satisfactorily under normal practice and, through
non-progressive quantities, it could be used to offer
the chance of a productive and fairly normal life.
Professor Paul Hunt’s speech will be on
Sunday 11 May at the opening session:
16.30–18.30 in Room 7.
‘Drug users have a right to
health through harm reduction’
PROGRAMME
HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY 11 MAY
Buprenorphine-Naloxone
(Suboxone): What’s New?
A satellite event organised by
IHRA to cover the latest data
and developments regarding this opiate
substitution treatment.
Room 6: 13.15-15.30
Opening Session
A formal welcome to the
conference – including a keynote
speech from Professor Paul Hunt
(UN Special Rapporteur on
the Right to Health)
Room 7: 16:30 – 18:30
Opening Reception
A great opportunity to network
and meet some of the 1,200 delegates
at the conference.
Exhibition Area (Level 1): 19:00
MONDAY 12 MAY
The Global State of
Harm Reduction
The first plenary session – organised by
IHRA to launch a new global report and
to overview the current situation
around the world.
Room 7: 09:00 – 10:30
UNGASS Discussion
A lunchtime meeting organised
by the International Drug Policy
Consortium to discuss the UN
drug policy review.
Room 6: 13:00 – 14:00
UN Double Concurrent
This session is organised by UNODC and
World Health Organization. Eight high-
profile speakers will discuss the topic of
‘Universal Access to HIV Prevention and
Treatment for Drug Users’.
Room 7: 14:15 – 15:45 & 16:15 – 17:45
6PM Show: ‘Ibogaine’
A ‘Users Choice’ session organised
by the International Network
of People who Use Drugs to
openly discuss and debate this
controversial area of drug treatment.
Room 5: 18:00 – 19:30