Reaching the Unreachable: Strategies for HCV Eradication in Patients With Refractory Opioid Addiction—A Real-world Experience

Abstract

To achieve global HCV eradication, barriers prohibiting treatment access need to be overcome. We established a strategy to initiate antiviral therapy in patients with severe, refractory heroin addiction. All patients achieved sustained virological response. Outreach programs of hepatologists might be a reasonable way to overcome barriers to HCV treatment.

Securing wider EU commitment to the elimination of hepatitis C virus

“…24 PWID experience social exclusion and stigmatization and often suffer from psychological vulnerabilities or concomitant psychiatric illnesses. 57 Different approaches to the prevention of stigmatization and discrimination and even criminalization have been suggested by EASL, ELPA and PWID organizations 58 63 Given new technologies, same-day diagnosis of viremic HCV is possible, 11 resulting in the reduction of necessary visits between diagnosis and SVR (Figure 4).…”

“…Hence, promoting HCV testing and treating every HCV patient at the earliest opportunity is crucial. Different models of care (MoC) have been suggested, reducing the number of necessary visits to confirm infection and starting treatment immediately may improve linkage to care 63 . Given new technologies, same‐day diagnosis of viremic HCV is possible, 11 resulting in the reduction of necessary visits between diagnosis and SVR (Figure 4).…”

Updated epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infections and implications for hepatitis C virus elimination in Germany

“…Unfortunately, annual serosurveys are not available in this priority population and there are no data on the impact of DAA on HCV prevalence in this group. DAA therapy is well tolerated; so, treatment uptake may have increased 31 . A new pilot study is on the way suggest change to establish a surveillance system for blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections in PWID 32 .…”

“…DAA therapy is well tolerated; so, treatment uptake may have increased. 31 A new pilot study is on the way suggest change to establish a surveillance system for blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections in PWID. 32 Furthermore, care could be facilitated through microelimination attempts.…”

Strategietreffen: Virushepatitis in Deutschland eliminieren – Was ist zu tun?

“…Allerdings gibt es auch Menschen mit chronischer Hepatitis, die derartige Angebote nicht wahrnehmen und als „schwer zu erreichen“ gelten. Insbesondere für diese Gruppe gibt es sogenannte Mikro-Eliminations-Strategien, also gezielte örtliche und zeitliche Interventionen in einer bestimmten Bevölkerungsgruppe, um mit wenig Ressourcen viele Menschen zu erreichen, zu testen und zu behandeln 4 25 26 . Ein Beispiel einer Mikro-Eliminations-Strategie kann eine mobile Diagnostik- und Therapieeinheit mit speziell geschultem Personal sein, die medizinische Dienste zu den Menschen einer Risikogruppe bringt – von Beratung bis Therapie.…”