The care of injection-drug users with hiv infection

O'Connor and his colleagues (Aug. 18 issue)¹ describe the devastating array of medical problems presented by injection-drug users infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The authors recognize that, “To care for HIV-positive injection-drug users, physicians need to be familiar with the common approaches to the treatment of substance abuse, as well as with specific drug-treatment programs in their communities.” They do not comment, however, on the fact that in virtually every city in America, the demand and need for drug treatment vastly exceed its availability. Delays of many months between application and enrollment are the norm.  . .