Harm reduction programs may prevent hepatitis C in injection drug users

Researchers at UCSF and their colleagues have found that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs remains high and stable in some North American cities but incidence has dropped and remained low in some Australian and European cities. These differences in HCV infection rates likely reflect differences in the level and timing of programs to increase access to sterile injecting equipment and medically assisted treatment for opioid dependence, two harm-reduction programs shown to prevent transmission of HCV.