ICS Seminar Series - George (Kev) Dertadian

Date: Thursday 11 June 2015
Time: 11.30am - 1pm
Venue: EB.2.04, Western Sydney University, Parramatta South campus

George (Kev) Dertadian

Painkillers at Sydney's Medically Supervised Injecting Centre

Abstract

Since the establishment of Sydney's Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in May of 2001 the facility has seen a large shift in the drugs consumed by its clients, most of whom now inject prescription pain medications. This paper provides an account of the historical and conceptual development of the injecting centre and the use of pain medications. Drawing on interview data collected with nurses and health workers from MSIC the paper explores staff accounts of the health consequences and possible benefits of the intravenous use of pain medications. It also explores MSIC staff's explanations of client demographics and reasons for use. The paper explores how neoliberalism and harm minimisation's shared interest in empowering the drug user to engage in health injecting practice informs both the establishment of the facility and increases in client use of pain medications.

Biography

George (Kev) Dertadian (BA Hons) is a social researcher interested in alcohol and other drugs, the sociology of crime and deviance, and social and cultural theory. Kev is part of the Sessional Teaching Staff in the disciplines of Criminology and Sociology, Western Sydney University and is also an Associate Lecturer with the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales. He is currently in the final stages of his doctoral research at the Institute for Culture and Society (Western Sydney University).

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The Institute for Culture and Society is located in Parramatta, “the place where the eel sets down” in Dharug language,
along the north bank of the Parramatta River. It sits on the traditional lands and waters of the Burramattagal people of the Dharug Nation,
who have been stewards and caretakers of these territories since time immemorial, in what today is referred to as Greater Western Sydney,
one of the most diverse cultural communities in the world and home to the largest number of Indigenous Australians in the country.
The Institute for Culture and Society acknowledges the Dharug, Eora, Dharawal (also referred to as Tharawal)
and Wiradjuri peoples as traditional custodians and Indigenous knowledge-holders, whose storytelling serve
as historical record, a form of teaching and learning, a way to care for Country,
and an expression of Indigenous culture and identity.