Our study also shows that prison needle & syringe programs would also be highly cost beneficial in Australia - saving well over $2 for every $ invested.

Prison needle programs could save double what they cost – our new modelling shows how theconversation.com/prison-needl...

Australia has the world's highest community needle & syringe coverage. By not having prison needle & syringe programs we are breaching our obligations under UN Gen Ass Resolution 70/175 (2015) - the Mandela Rules - that states people who are in prison should have equitable access to health care

At @burnetinstitute.bsky.social we are developing a low cost syphilis point-of-care test to provide more equitable access to syphilis testing and help prevent transmission, including to infants in Australia and low/middle income countries around the world - www.burnet.edu.au/research/pro...

But more broadly, we need to de-stigmatise sexual health and create "safe" clinical & community spaces so people feel comfortable disclosing sexual risk or requesting STI testing. Emergence of new testing technologies that will allow people to test for STIs at home will also be hugely beneficial.

Congenital syphilis in Australia was previously extremely rare, but over the past decade, Australia has recorded dozens of cases of congenital syphilis resulting in death of the infant. More equitable access to antenatal care and syphilis testing and treatment is the key.

STI rates have increased steadily in Australia over the past decade with potentially significant health consequences for those not diagnosed and treated. Of particular concern is untreated maternal syphilis that disproportionately affects women from low socio‐economic backgrounds & Aboriginal women.