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A Complex Debate: Treating the Prison Population
This issue of HCV Next explores a highly debated topic: screening and treating inmates in US jails and prisons for hepatitis C virus.
In the cover story, experts examine the current state-of-play for screening and treating inmates. The prevalence of HCV infection among prisoners is substantially higher than that of the general US population. Current estimates suggest that about one in every six prisoners has HCV and in some areas that number can exceed one in every three prisoners. A recent editorial published in The New England Journal of Medicine discussed this issue, with the authors proposing that a national strategy is warranted to screen, diagnose and treat HCV both in the community and in correctional facilities. “Early detection and treatment in correctional settings has the potential to prevent future need for treatment, which, along with its attendant costs, would occur predominantly in the community; it could also prevent ongoing viral spread,” according to the editorial.
As one of the main modes of HCV transmission is a history of injection drug use, the feature examines the emerging use of methadone programs as an important setting for the education and treatment of patients with HCV.
So, what is your opinion on screening prisoners for HCV and using HCV intervention programs based in methadone clinics? We welcome your thoughts. Please send any and all responses to the email address below. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing your views with our readers.
— Katie Kalvaitis
Executive Editor, HCV Next