Thank you, Ms. Davies, for your remarks.
Briefly, there are 3,300 new infections in this country per year. We argued that if we were to embrace a “test and treat” approach—the “seek and treat” approach that we're talking about—we could reduce that number in a matter of two to three years by more than 60%, with concurrent decreases in morbidity and mortality.
A case of HIV costs, in terms of treatment, roughly $15,000 per year. Over a lifetime, that translates into anywhere between $300,000 and $500,000, and that is clearly an average. If we are able to prevent one infection, not only are we preventing morbidity and mortality, but we are also preventing the downstream chain of transmission that the individual could generate.
For that reason, our data, now independently verified by the World Health Organization, shows that investing a little more upfront on testing and engaging in treatment in a supportive fashion, including the harm reduction practice that you are asking for, would be cost-saving. The mathematical model suggests that whatever more you invest today, you recoup in a matter of five years, and after that it is all savings.
I am going to let Dr. Kerr comment on the harm reduction piece.