A Feasibility Study to Increase Chronic Hepatitis C Virus RNA Testing and Linkage to Care among Clients Attending Homeless Services in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

People who inject drugs (PWID) are disproportionately affected by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and are frequently homeless. To improve HCV case finding in these individuals, the authors examined the feasibility of rapid HCV RNA testing in homeless services in Amsterdam. In 2020, they provided a comprehensive service to homeless facilities, including workshops on HCV for personnel, a “hepatitis ambassador” at each facility, a rapid, onsite HCV RNA fingerstick test service, and assistance with linkage to care.

One of the authors’ points is that screening in homeless services with rapid testing is feasible and could improve HCV case finding for PWID who do not regularly attend primary care or other harm reduction services for people who use drugs.

The study was published at Diagnostics, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal on medical diagnosis published monthly online by MDPI.

Read the study here

Briefing Paper: Treatment, prevention and harm reduction interventions for different forms of ATS use

This policy brief aims at contributing to the reduction of the harms of ATS use by describing different trajectories of ATS use and offering a set of evidence-based interventions for different groups of ATS users. The different ATS trajectories are based on qualitative findings of large multinational research, the ATTUNE study, conducted between February and August 2017 in five European countries – the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. The evidence-based interventions recommended in this brief are based on a literature review. In this document, both ATS trajectories and interventions from previous studies/programmes are combined to propose tailor-made recommendations for people who use ATS and those providing services to them.

The following sections in this brief describe:
1. The different types of ATS and the context of their use in Europe;
2. The various ATS use trajectories that ATTUNE study participants have experienced;
3. A set of evidence-based interventions to prevent, treat and reduce the harms caused by ATS use; and,
4. Recommendations for policymakers, practitioners and others working with drug-related services.

Read more

Support.Don’t.Punish.: The burning need for an approach that rejects the violence of criminalisation

As the 2021 Global Day of Action on 26th June approaches, the sudden realisation of the end of the first half of the year hits agendas as well. It states the need for creating more realistic resolution checklists boldly. It is the same sidestepping for everyone, from individuals to governments.

What is said vs What is done and What ought to be.

50 years ago, when the United States launched their #WarOnDrugs, their recreational checklist has triggered a series of tragic events that defined the decades until to this day. Evidence and empathy have been parked firmly whilst a backdrop of political expediency and bigotry took on the stage. Conclusion? Marginalisation, extremism, criminalisation, punishment and stigmatisation rather than advancing our communities’ health, human rights and well-being.

Every year, on 26th June, the Support.Don’t.Punish. campaign mobilises in reaction to this violence and this loss to build sustainable alternatives. Even last year, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the mobilisation took place with the same spirit of care and determination.

This year will be no exception.

Below is a list of things you can do and share:

Share information
Support.Don’t.Punish. channels will be sharing regular information to prompt reflection and action.
Follow and share Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the Day of Action’s website.

Join the Photo Project
With over 10,000 entries, the Photo Project is proof of global solidarity. Not yet in there? Print the logo, snap a photo and send it over by e-mail. Invite your networks and colleagues to do so too.

Organise & mobilise!
From big conferences to mural-painting to small ‘open house’ days, there are quite literally hundreds of ways to join the Day of Action. Check the campaign’s Bank of Ideas for Mobilisation for inspiration and make sure you are part of the ‘Supporting organisations’ list.

Plan your mobility action now and join the crowds to make the message louder and stronger.
Let’s #UndoTheWar

Open call for writers and editors to support us in our upcoming publications.

We are looking for qualified experts for the writing of each of the following briefing papers:

1. Drug Consumption Rooms in Europe 

The Paper should provide an update on the existing evidence and practice in the European region and describe advocacy efforts of countries to promote and support the development of Drug Consumption Rooms in their country. This Briefing Paper will be linked to discussions within the International Network of Drug Consumption Rooms (INDCR) and should be based on a literature review and expert interviews.

 

2. Addressing the harm reduction funding crisis in Romania

The Paper should provide an overview of the current funding crisis and the challenges in providing harm reduction services in Romania and analysing existing challenges. The Paper should be based on literature and interviews with various stakeholders in the field.

 

3. Addressing harm reduction in prisons

The Paper should be based on the data collected in the framework of the C-EHRN civil society monitoring and literature on the topic.
The briefing papers’ volumes are planned to be 8-12 pages, and their deadline is due October 2021.The applications should contain a short description and references of the applicant’s skills and expertise in the related area of choice of topic.
Please send your application to kschiffer@correlation-net.org and eschatz@correlation-net.org before the 18th of June.

 

4. We are also looking for qualified editors to review and edit different C-EHRN publications, papers and reports.

Pay attention! This open call refers to different C-EHRN publications.
The applications should contain a short description and references of the applicant’s skills and expertise in the related area of choice of topic.
Please send your application to kschiffer@correlation-net.org and eschatz@correlation-net.org before the 18th of June.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you so much for your time, and Good luck with your application!

Warm Regards,
C-EHRN team

Future Collaboration for Harm Reduction in Europe

Last month, we organised two meetings welcoming the national harm reduction networks in Europe who have taken part in our recently published survey. As networking is one of our strengths, and we would like to initiate closer collaborations within the harm reduction networks in Europe, we were thrilled to start the dialogue.

The attending organisations’ backgrounds varied from self-support to peer-led harm reduction, to research-based services, to intersectional cooperation and finally to non-governmental and somewhat illegal provision. Their culturally spiced struggles were not only very inspiring but also familiar.

The critical points of these meetings were to discuss how we could support each other and help advocate together. We believe that advocacy could easily be one of the grounds to meet and provide insights to others dealing with similar challenges. Don’t you agree?

We have now set up a news wheel in our newsletter where each edition will bring you updates from Europe-wide countries.
Any thoughts you would like to share?
Please send us an email to administration@correlation-net.org.

5th European Harm Reduction Conference 10-12 November 2021

In 2021, the 5th European Harm Reduction Conference will be organised in Prague by Correlation European Harm Reduction Network in close cooperation with the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association and the Czech organisation Sananim.

 

The conference programme is currently under development. The European Network of People Who Use Drugs, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and other important stakeholders from Europe are joining us in this effort.

Target Groups

The 5th European Harm Reduction Conference targets professionals from the community, professionals working in the broader area of harm reduction, policy-makers and politicians, advocacy representatives, researchers, and media representatives.

Aims of the Conference

The conference will present the latest harm reduction developments and good, innovative practices. It will discuss drug policy and its implications on People Who Use Drugs and other marginalised groups, such as sex workers and People Living with HIV/Aids. It intends to discuss different perspectives on harm reduction, social inclusion and related topics. Finally, the conference provides an appropriate platform to create links and synergies between national and European stakeholders.

read more and register here

Quality Standards’ Implementation in Daily Practices of Drug Prevention, Treatment and Harm Reduction in the EU

FENIQS is a new EU funded project that C-EHRN is involved. It aims at enhancing implementation of Quality Standards (QS) in drug prevention, treatment and harm reduction throughout the EU. The project just started in April this year and will run until April 2023.

What about Quality standards?
Quality standards (QS) were a central priority in the EU Drug Strategy 2013-2020 to improve the quality of drug services and to bridge the gap between science and practice. Yet, the extent and ways in which QS are implemented in daily practices of drug prevention, treatment and harm reduction in the EU vary substantially. Some countries have successfully implemented QS and there is a clear need to understand what transferable lessons can be learned from available ‘good practices’ which can guide implementation of QS in different contexts across the EU. Those countries and services which have had difficulties in implementing QS can benefit from clear guidance and recommendations.

Objective of FENIQS – EU
The general objective of this project is to enhance implementation of QS in drug prevention, treatment and harm reduction throughout the EU, with more services, organizations and countries applying QS in daily practice. The project will focus on the actual application of QS in EU countries and factors stimulating implementation.

How will the project work?
The project is divided into 3 main phases, according to its objectives, as described below. Throughout the whole process, the lessons learnt will be disseminated, including a dedicated website, newsletters with regular progress updates, and webinars. Our members will receive the first newsletter, and will have the option to inscribe for the others. Not a member yet? You may become one here

First –  Assessing the current state of QS implementation in the EU
The extent of QS implementation will be described country-by-country and by area (prevention, treatment and harm reduction). Reasons for successful/limited implementation will be mapped, as well as implementation needs, and potential good practice examples. This information will be based on previous literature, and consultation with EMCDDA Reitox focal points and European country representatives (via online survey).

Second- Study ‘good’ and promising practice examples of QS implementation
In each drug demand reduction area (prevention, treatment and harm reduction), 2-3 examples of successful/promising implementation (‘QS Implementation champions’) from across the EU will be selected and described as case studies, including facilitating and hindering factors that advanced/obstructed implementation in daily practice. Case study results will be presented and implications for QS implementation discussed during a QS Implementation Champions day.

Third – Translate ‘good’ practice examples into an implementation toolkit and test it in various real-world contexts
Lessons learnt from the selected ‘good’ practices will be translated into a step-by-step implementation toolkit. Recommendations for practical and feasible implementation strategies as well as key features of the toolkit will be proposed during a 1-day international QS event and reviewed using Delphi methodology (a methodology where experts meet and discuss to generate consensus). The draft toolkit will be refined using target audience feedback (e.g. QS champions, civil society organisations) and field tested in at least six countries (covering all three areas).

The final toolkit will be openly available online. A video tutorial will support the introduction of the toolkit.

Who are the project partners?
Project partners are four academic partners based in Belgium (UGent), Croatia (ERFUNIZG), France (Lyon) and the Czech Republic (CUNI) and four pan-European networks -IREFREA, Correlation C-EHRN, Euro-TC, EUFAS-, covering all EU member states and DDR areas.

Want more information about the project?
Wait for the first newsletter with the brand-new website, or contact kschiffer@correlation-net.org or rrigoni@correlation-net.org

Peer2Peer Project: Policy Dialogue Meeting

The Peer2Peer Project is a European project co-financed by the European Commission’s Justice Program – Drug Policy Initiatives, and coordinated by APDES. This project aims to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations to improve the efficiency of outreach intervention, namely by promoting the inclusion of Peer Educators and good practices, in cooperation with relevant stakeholders. The Consortium includes internationally recognised entities (from Belgium, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Holland, France and Hungary) working in the areas of research, social intervention and advocacy.

On 25th March, the Project organised a Policy Dialogue Meeting articulated around three main themes:

  1. Bottom-up approach: Decision-makers and a different political culture, more room for the participation of the citizens?
  2. A new vision for Health centred on community-based intervention.
  3. Translating Public Policies into Drug Services: How to engage and commit Intermediate institutions and community towards a collaborative approach?

The meeting offered space to the project partners along with representatives of civil society organisations in Europe working in the field of peer inclusion, researchers, peers and representatives of European institutions working in the field of drugs and drug use.

Interested in the recording?
WATCH IT HERE

Also, recently Peer2Peer has published their Guiding Principles for Cooperation Practices in Outreach Work. This document identifies principles to be used in holistic interventions and includes relevant information related to the Peer2Peer project, such as the main result of research and the explanation of the guiding principles for best practices concerning cooperative strategies in outreach interventions with people who use drugs.

Would you like to read the publication?
READ HERE

You may want to follow the project and its updates closely after reading all the very interesting information above.
VISIT THE PROJECT WEBSITE HERE

European National Harm Reduction Networks’ on Structure, Objectives, Activities, Funding

At the end of the most expectation-twister year of the last decade, as known as 2020, we wanted to investigate the structure, objectives, activities, and funding resources of the national harm reduction groups or networks in 34 European countries. So, we asked our members to provide us with the contact details of such networks.

Right with that first question, data collection have begun.
Only 50% of approached countries have such a network (17), whilst the rest does not.

Most of those 17 networks are established with formal structures such as mission statements, steering committees, registered members and annual work plans.
Two-third of the networks receive funding which is mostly from national or local authorities.
Their main activities? They share a focus on capacity building, advocacy and networking.
Moreover, the solid commitment they have to collaborate more between the European and national level,is enticing, which is now our intention to improve.

Once again, we would like to thank all the networks involved for their time and consideration.

Please read the detailed survey results HERE

Call-to-Action for a Europe free of hepatitis C, including decriminalisation of drug use

In the context of strained healthcare systems and shifting priorities, mainly due to the COVID-19 crisis, it is essential to ensure that the importance of efforts to eliminate HCV is not forgotten. If anything, the current pandemic should underline the need for widespread and effective public health responses whilst decision-makers must critically keep on prioritising HCV.

We were one of the official partners of the 3rd EU HCV ELIMINATION POLICY SUMMIT, which took place in late March and ended up with a Call-to-Action.

The Call-to-Action was signed up by 16 initial networks, group and calls, among others, to make hepatitis C elimination in Europe an explicit and adequately resourced public health priority. What is remarkable from the viewpoint of C-EHRN is that significant institutions, hepatitis patient groups, and community networks call for decriminalisation of drug use for the first time.

“Remove barriers to people who inject drugs (PWID) accessing care, including decriminalisation. Political resistance to harm reduction services is a major barrier to appropriate access to hepatitis C prevention services for PWID, as are laws and policies which criminalise drug use, drug possession, and drug users. [12] In line with community statements and the European Association for the Study of the Liver’s (EASL) policy statement, [12] we, therefore, call for the decriminalisation of minor, non-violent drug offences and call for political support for harm reduction services in all European countries.”

following the statement of the European Association for the Study of the Lever: https://easl.eu/news/policy-statement-drug-use-hep-c/

“The major barrier to appropriate access to hepatitis C care is political resistance to harm reduction services, as well as laws and policies which criminalise drug use, drug possession, and drug users themselves. To reach the desired WHO goal, combining decriminalisation of personal drug consumption and integrated interventions that include hepatitis C testing and treatment should be implemented”.

Again, meanwhile, harm reduction and drug policy reform activists argue for many years for these measures, it is crucial to get support from the broader public health audience regarding one of the main barriers for people who use drugs to access adequate health services.

Eberhard Schatz
C-EHRN, April 2021