Bringing Hepatitis C Treatment to the Patient

Clinical Takeaway

: Offering immediate HCV treatment at opioid treatment programs increases rates of sustained viral response compared with standard referral.

Context

People who use drugs (PWUD) are at increased risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but less than one quarter of PWUD with HCV infection have been treated. In the industry-funded RAPID HCV trial, researchers randomized PWUD with detectable HCV viremia to receive either glecaprevir/pibrentasvir at their opioid treatment program (OTP) coupled with weekly peer support, or referral to specialized care, across five sites in the United States and Canada.

Key Results

Participants were predominantly male (60%), white (58%), and had social and structural barriers to health (32% experienced recent homelessness and 62% recent food insecurity).
Of 122 participants, 59 (89%) initiated therapy and 61% achieved sustained viral response at 12 weeks…

Reviewing Author

Wendy S. Armstrong, M.D.

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNIH Therapeutics and Prevention Data Safety Monitoring Board

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesInfectious Diseases Society of America (President-Elect), American Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases Subspecialty Board (member)