On Wednesday, February 12th, 2014 the European Initiative on Hepatitis C and Drug Use partner Apdes, Portugal, organised a policy meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by the Portuguese MEP Alda Sousa. The goal and purpose of the meeting was to start the process of open formal discussions regarding the development of a European HCV strategic plan and national HCV policies that specifically address the needs of people who use drugs. This first ever meeting was specifically aimed at increasing attention to the importance of advancing the European Parliament and European Commissions agenda on dire issues related to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis C among drug users.

Among those attending this groundbreaking policy meeting were individuals who work directly with drug users at NGOs; and representatives from drug user organizations, INPUD, WHO, European Commission, EMCDDA, EPHA, WHA, HRI, civil society groups, pharmaceutical companies, medical experts and scientists.

The Correlation Network Hepatitis C Initiative will provide more information about this important meeting in days to come.

 

The Eurasian Network of People Who Use Drugs (ENPUD)
prepared a video about the Hepatitis C Policy Dialogue meeting at the European Parliament.
Don't forget turn on the subtitles button in YouTube player!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ynf-t4KuJtg

 

Presentations
Presentation: What do we know about the prevalence of HCV among PWID?
Overview of HCV data and facts pdf

Teodora Groshkova,
EMCDDA
Presentation: The response to the HCV health crisis among PWID:
WHO recommendations and guidance pdf

Dr. Strefan Wiktor,
WHO
Presentation: Drug User as patient group.
New EASL practical guidelines for the management of the HCV infection pdf

Geert Robaeys, MD,PhD,
University Hospitals of Leuven, Belgium
Presentation: Scotland's Hepatitis C Action Plan. Overview, approach and lessons learnedpdf
Leon Wylie,
Scotish Drug Forum
Presentation: HCV treatment for PWID, IT WORKS!pdf
Prof. Mojca Matičič, MD, PhD
Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Illnesses, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
Presentation: Liver or Die.
A user led project and learning programme by The Swedish Drug Users Union pdf
Louise Persson,
SDUU
Presentation: HCV policies at European levelpdf
Matthias Schuppe, European Commission, Directorate General Health and Consumers,
Health Threats Unit
Presentation: How patient organisations can be an influencial factor for HCV policiespdf
Hilje Logtenberg-van der Grient,
ELPA
Presentation: How to overcome HCV treatment barriers for people who inject drugs?pdf
Efi Kokkinen,
INPUD