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Hepatitis C services at harm reduction centres in the European Union: a 28-country survey

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Background: In the context of the WHO’s 2016 Viral Hepatitis Strategy and the introduction of treatment that
can cure more than 95% of cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the European Joint Action on HIV
and Co-infection Prevention and Harm Reduction (HA-REACT) undertook a study in the member states of the
European Union (EU). It aimed to determine service providers’ understanding of the current services in their
respective countries and the barriers experienced by PWID in accessing HCV testing, care and treatment
services in their country.
Methods: In 2017, 38 purposively selected harm reduction service providers completed a 26-item Englishlanguage online survey addressing the availability, accessibility and funding of HCV services at harm reduction
centres. HCV-related data and reported findings were extracted by country or by responding organization.
Results: Responses were received from all EU member states. Respondents from 23 countries reported that
HCV tests are offered by harm reduction services in their countries, and eight countries reported that
addiction specialists in their countries are able to prescribe HCV therapy. Almost half of the respondents
(45%) said that their respective organizations had established referral systems with centres providing HCV
treatment.
Conclusions: Not all EU member states have harm reduction services that provide HCV tests, and many do
not have established referral systems with treatment providers. Moreover, the inability of addiction specialists
to prescribe HCV treatment points to missed opportunities to make treatment more accessible. Further,
discrepancies were noted between the available HCV services and stakeholders’ knowledge about their
availability.

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Harm Reduction Journal, 2019, vol. 16, num. 20

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Articles publicats en revistes (ISGlobal)

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Hepatitis C services at harm reduction centres in the European Union: a 28-country survey