Onsite treatment of HCV infection with direct acting antivirals within an opioid treatment program

Abstract

With the advent of the direct acting antivirals (DAA), or all oral HCV treatment regimens, there exists a great opportunity to provide HCV treatment to people who inject drugs (PWID) enrolled in an opioid treatment program (OTP). This retrospective study conducted in the context of routine clinical care explores the outcomes of HCV treatment with DAAs in PWID enrolled in an OTP. Our study showed treatment outcomes among our first 75 patients treated with DAAs were nearly equivalent to patients in the general population. Ninety-eight percent of patients completing treatment obtained a sustained virologic response, with 10 patients lost to follow-up. Ninety-nine percent of patients adhered to HCV treatment. Ongoing drug use occurred in 23% of patients, however this did not alter HCV treatment outcomes. Treating HCV infection with DAAs in PWID onsite in an OTP is feasible.

Keywords: Direct acting antivirals (DAA); Hepatitis C (HCV); Opioid treatment program (OTP); People who inject drugs (PWID); Substance use disorder (SUD).