AIDS in New York City: the role of intravenous drug users.

The key to the future of the HIV epidemic is the intravenous drug user. In New York City the future has arrived--intravenous drug use is now the predominant risk factor among new cases of AIDS. Our limited knowledge of most facets of drug abuse prevention and treatment and the emotional polarity and politicalization of the issues surrounding AIDS have made control of its spread among intravenous drug users very difficult. Clearly new research efforts are needed better to decide how to reduce the further spread of HIV infection among this group. But efforts to stop the spread cannot await these results. Intense and immediate efforts should focus on five areas for potential control of the spread of HIV infection among drug users: education, treatment on demand, expanding support services, providing sterile equipment, and readjustment of some of society's moral judgments that currently block action. Let us hope that in 10 years we do not look back and realize that we did too little too late while it was still possible to make a difference.