The ACT government will consider whether to make its nation-first static pill testing site permanent through upcoming territory budgets, after early reports suggest the service had helped provide interventions.
The fixed-site pill testing service, opened in July, was originally intended to be a six-month pilot but Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith announced it would be extended until August.
Ms Stephen-Smith said its future beyond that would be considered through the budget process.
She said it would also be informed by an evaluation of the six-month pilot to be completed by the Australian National University.
"We'll wait until we get the evaluation but we're extending the service delivery right through to August so that we have a chance, not only for a six-month evaluation to be completed but for us to consider that through the budget processes and understand exactly what the demand for this service looks like and what its future will be," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
The service has been operating out of a site in Canberra's city centre on Moore Street and has been operated by Directions Health Services. It is only open for testing two times a week from 10am to 1pm on Thursdays and from 6pm to 9pm on Fridays.
Directions acting chief executive Stephanie Stephens said feedback has suggested people would like to see the opening hours change. She said the service was limited by resources as to how often it could open.
"We've heard that the hours are something people would like to see tweaked over time and we're very open to that. We'd love to see more people, particularly young people, coming through to have their drugs checked," she said.
An evaluation of the centre's first three months has also showed a majority of people whose test showed a substance different than expected chose to not take the drug.
A report said a majority of people, 61 per cent, whose test showed a substance different than expected said they "definitely will not" use the drug and only 19 per cent said they "definitely will" take the substance.
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