ASSOCIATION SAFE

What ASSOCIATION SAFE does

Association SAFE is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) founded in 1989, headquartered in Paris, that operates as the country's leading harm reduction organization for people who use drugs. Its functional mandate is to prevent overdoses, blood-borne disease transmission (HIV, HBV, HCV), and other harms associated with drug use through direct material distribution, screening, training, and advocacy.

The organization's product portfolio centers on three operational platforms: (1) an automated vending machine network (Automates de RDR) distributing syringes, crack pipes, naloxone kits, and condoms across France; (2) remote harm reduction services (RDR à Distance) providing distance-based support and at-home screening for HIV and hepatitis; and (3) the NALOXONE.FR online training platform for overdose response. It also designs and disseminates proprietary harm reduction tools, including the Pipe Universelle (universal pipe), Filtration Stérilisante (sterile filtration), and the Kit Spray Nasal naloxone device. The portfolio is complemented by participatory research on drug use practices (Études & Recherches), professional training programs for healthcare and social workers, and material vigilance infrastructure.

Its business model is donation- and institutional-grant-funded rather than commercial: services and materials are primarily provided free of charge, with donations tax-deductible at 66% for individuals and 60% for companies in France. Distribution runs through CSAPA and CAARUD harm reduction centers, pharmacies, prescribing physicians, and direct office distribution in Paris. Since February 24, 2022, the organization has also operated a major humanitarian aid corridor to Ukraine in partnership with Comité d'Aide Médicale Ukraine, delivering 370+ semi-trailers of essential products, 4 field hospitals, and 600+ generators to date.

Name

ASSOCIATION SAFE

Legal name

Association SAFE

Website

https://safe.asso.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Association SAFE is a French non-profit founded in 1989 that operates harm reduction programs for people who use drugs, distributing sterile equipment and naloxone, running remote screening and training services, and delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Harm Reduction Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Global Health Supply Chain & Procurement Organizations (HLAJAKAL)

Keywords

• Harm reduction services
• Naloxone distribution
• Syringe exchange programs
• Overdose prevention training
• Humanitarian aid delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Institutional Funding: Association operates through institutional funding, donations from individuals and organizations, with tax-deductible donations (66% for individuals, 60% for companies in France)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Association SAFE distributes sterile harm reduction materials (syringes, crack pipes, condoms, naloxone kits) through a network of automated vending machines, direct office services in Paris, and partner CSAPA, CAARUD, and pharmacy channels across France. It operates the NALOXONE.FR online training platform, remote harm reduction support services, and remote screening for HIV, HBV, and HCV. The association also runs a humanitarian aid bridge delivering medical supplies, generators, and field hospitals to Ukraine in partnership with the Comité d'Aide Médicale Ukraine.

Product overview

ASSOCIATION SAFE operates as a harm reduction organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services and products. The core offerings include: remote harm reduction services (RDR à Distance), a network of automated vending machines (Automates de RDR) distributing sterile materials, and online naloxone training (NALOXONE.FR). These are complemented by specialized products like nasal spray naloxone kits, universal pipes, and sterile filtration products. Additional services include remote screening for bloodborne viruses (Dépistage à Distance), professional harm reduction training (Formations RDR), participatory research (Études & Recherches), and harm reduction tool design (Conception d'Outils RDR). The organization focuses on preventing overdoses, reducing transmission of blood-borne diseases, and improving access to harm reduction supplies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Harm Reduction Materials Distribution (Automates de RDR) Automated and direct distribution of sterile harm reduction materials including syringes, injection kits, crack pipes, condoms, and naloxone kits to people who use drugs in France through vending machines, the Paris office, and partner centers.
• NALOXONE.FR Online Training Platform Online training platform providing educational resources on naloxone administration and overdose response, targeting both laypeople and professionals in France.
• Remote Harm Reduction Services (RDR à Distance) Distance-based harm reduction support and guidance for people who use drugs, providing access to materials and counseling without requiring in-person visits.
• Remote Screening Services (Dépistage à Distance) At-home screening for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C enabling users to test themselves remotely without visiting a physical facility.
• Professional Harm Reduction Training (Formations RDR pour les Professionnels) Training programs for healthcare and social workers covering harm reduction best practices, naloxone administration, and drug-use risk reduction.
• Naloxone Nasal Spray Kit (Kit Spray Nasal Naloxone) Nasal spray naloxone kit for emergency overdose response, designed as a life-saving antidote for opioid overdoses.
• Pipe Universelle (Universal Pipe) Universal pipe for safer inhalation of substances, designed to reduce health risks associated with smoking drugs.
• Filtration Stérilisante (Sterile Filtration) Sterile filtration products for safer drug preparation, designed to reduce infection risks during drug use.
• Humanitarian Aid Bridge to Ukraine Humanitarian aid program delivering food, medical supplies, generators, ambulances, and field hospitals to Ukrainian civilians and healthcare facilities affected by war, in partnership with the Comité d'Aide Médicale Ukraine.
• Participatory Research and Studies (Études & Recherches) Participatory research initiatives studying drug-use practices and developing innovative harm reduction approaches, including white papers such as the Naloxone White Paper.

Quantifiable outcome

• Naloxone administration can prevent 4 out of 5 overdose deaths
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Comité d'Aide Médicale UkrainecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2022SAFE partners with the Ukrainian Medical Aid Committee since February 2022 to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The partnership involves distribution of food, medical products, emergency health programs, water and sanitation access, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation of essential sites (hospitals, orphanages, bomb shelters). The committee also manages three shelter centers for displaced persons in Transcarpathia.
• French Civil Society (Collectivités, Entreprises, Particuliers, Fondations, Associations)coreOthersSAFE collaborates with French civil society including local authorities, businesses, individuals, foundations, associations, fishermen, and students to mobilize humanitarian aid for Ukraine. These partnerships enable the collection and distribution of essential supplies and financial donations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AIDES: Major French community-based NGO fighting HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis among key populations, with overlapping harm-reduction, screening, and advocacy activities. Operates similar CSAPA/CAARUD-style field distribution and community-research programs in France, making it the closest direct peer to SAFE.
• ASUD (Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues): French drug-user self-support association that advocates for harm reduction and shares governance links with SAFE (board member Grégory Lange is administrateur of both). Directly comparable mission: peer-led harm reduction, naloxone advocacy, and participation in the Livre Blanc de la Naloxone.
• Fédération Addiction: French federation of addiction-specialized structures (including CSAPA and CAARUD networks) that represent many of SAFE's distribution partners. Comparable through training, advocacy, and policy work on opioid overdose prevention and naloxone access in France.
• Coalition PLUS: International coalition of community-based organizations fighting HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis, co-founded by AIDES and other field actors. Directly comparable on harm reduction, community research, and advocacy for key populations, and a natural partner/peer to SAFE's screening and naloxone work.
• INPUD (International Network of People who Use Drugs): Global peer-led network of people who use drugs that advocates for harm reduction, naloxone access, and the rights of drug-user communities. Highly comparable to SAFE on peer-led research, naloxone advocacy, and community-based distribution models.

Others

• Harm Reduction International: International NGO that coordinates the global harm-reduction policy and advocacy community, including International Overdose Awareness Day and the International Harm Reduction Conference. Comparable mission focus on naloxone access and harm-reduction policy, but operates at the policy/coordination layer rather than direct service delivery.
• European Harm Reduction Network (EuroHRN): European network of harm-reduction organizations, civil-society groups, and drug-user networks that share evidence and advocate for naloxone and drug-policy reform. Functionally comparable peer network for SAFE's harm-reduction research and policy work.

Broad incumbents

• Médecins Sans Frontières: Global medical-humanitarian organization with comparable large-scale humanitarian logistics (field hospitals, supply chain) and harm reduction programs in several countries. Broad incumbent whose operational footprint overlaps SAFE's Ukraine bridge and naloxone-access work but on a much larger scale.
• Médecins du Monde: Large international medical-humanitarian NGO that operates harm reduction programs in France (including mobile units and drug-user outreach) and abroad. A broader incumbent with overlapping harm reduction, migrant health, and humanitarian aid activities but a much wider mandate than SAFE.
• Croix-Rouge française: Large French humanitarian organization that operates first-aid, social-support, and health programs including harm reduction outreach. Broad incumbent with similar humanitarian-aid operational scale to SAFE's Ukraine bridge but a much wider portfolio of activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-safe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ASSOCIATION SAFE