The harm reduction programme in Taiwan consists of three major parts: (1) information, education, and communication (IEC); (2) a needle/syringe programme (NSP); and (3) drug substitution treatment (Taiwan DOH 2005; Taiwan CDC 2007) . The IEC programme expanded the HIV screening and monitoring of IDUs and provided timely health IEC to help them change their high-risk behaviours, especially the sharing of drug paraphernalia and diluents. The NSP enabled local health departments, in conjunction with neighbourhood pharmacies and residents, to decide on where to locate operations that could provide IDUs with clean syringe paraphernalia, counseling, and health information. In November 2005, four NSP pilot projects were launched in Taipei County, Taipei City, and Taoyuan County in northern Taiwan, and Tainan County in the south. Since July of 2006, the NSP has expanded island-wide. In total, 1,103 health education and counseling service centers were set up, along with 418 vending machines providing clean needles. Roughly 8.2 million needles were given out between 1 November 2005, when the NSP was implemented, and 31 December 2008. In addition, over 777 recycling trashcans for used needles were set up, and the return rate for used needles increased from under 1% at the beginning to 80% currently; the average return rate is 61%. About 5 million used needles have now been returned.