Opioid substitution treatment (OST) to reduce HCV | www.emcdda.europa.eu

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Summary of the evidence

Rating: Beneficial

OST has been found to be effective in a a systematic review with meta-analysis (Platt et al., 2017, 28 studies, N= 11 070 PWID) in:

reducing the risk of HCV acquisition by 50% (RR 0.50, 95 % CI 0.40 to 0.63).

Details

Note: this evidence summary is only valid for the outcomes, target groups, settings and substances/patterns of use described below.

Name of response option

Pharmacological treatment

Desired outcome(s)

reduce infectious diseases

Area(s)

Harm reduction

Specific substance or pattern of use

opioids

Target group(s) or setting(s)

PWID – people who inject drugs

References

Platt L, Minozzi S, Reed J, Vickerman P, Hagan H, French C, Jordan A, Degenhardt L, Hope V, Hutchinson S, Maher L, Palmateer N, Taylor A, Bruneau J, Hickman M. (2017), Needle syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy for preventing hepatitis C transmission in people who inject drugs. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD012021.

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