Hepatitis C New Models of Care for Drugs Services

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has a high prevalence in people who inject drugs in Europe, although HCV infection is both preventable and curable. 

European clinical guidelines recommend that all patients with chronic liver disease as a result of HCV infection should be considered for therapy, regardless of disease stage. Furthermore, they recommend that treatment be provided to individuals at risk of transmitting the disease, including people currently injecting drugs.

The importance of targeting people who inject drugs as a key population for the elimination of hepatitis C in Europe and of promoting people who inject drug’s access to testing and all other elements of the cascade of care is highlighted in European and national hepatitis C policies.

The 11 case studies in this collection document how drug treatment and harm reduction service providers in eight countries are supporting people who inject drugs access to testing and treatment, using innovative and creative implementation practices and developing new models of care for this important target group. This publication provides key insights into the results, impact, sustainability and transferability of each practice to guide the implementation of these new models of care in other countries and settings.