Studies conducted in France and other countries show that the practice of sharing syringes persists. Furthermore, sharing preparation equipment and reusing filters can be potential vectors for HIV and hepatitis B and C infections. Prevention strategies therefore focus on changing injection practices toward the personal and single-use of all equipment. In 1995, a general framework was established to assess the quality of syringe accessibility. It included a series of studies and systematic data collection, including a description of the activities and clientele of needle exchange programs, which is presented here.