93% OF DRUG WORKERS SURVEYED PREFER PEN DEVICE TO NEEDLE & SYRINGE FOR HEP C TREATMENT 

 New research in the UK has revealed that of those surveyed 93% of drug workers, 83% of hospital specialists and 77% of clients prefer a pen device to a needle and syringe for the administration of pegylated interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

73% of drug workers surveyed perceived the needle and syringe delivery system to have negative associations with drug abuse because of the resemblance to drug-injecting paraphernalia. Of these, 36% felt that the use of a needle and syringe could trigger a drug-abuse relapse. This data is of particular significance as current and past injecting drug users are at the highest risk of contracting the hepatitis C virus (HCV), with a 91.1% risk factor according to the Department of Health’s Hepatitis C – Action Plan for England [1] which also estimated that 38% of injecting drug users in contact with health services are infected with the virus [2]. The prevalence of infection is higher in long-term users, those no longer in contact with services and homeless drug users [2].

The pen device outperformed a needle and syringe combination across all of the specified attributes, scoring particularly highly in terms of ease of use, discretion of use and not acting as a reminder of drug abuse. Clients reported that confidence in dosing and an ability to use the device without medical supervision, two characteristics offered by pen delivery systems, were the most important attributes of treatment.

Commenting on the findings Craig Adams of plus ve (an organisation that provides up to date information for both patients and medical professionals in the fields of viral hepatitis, HIV, sexual health and TB) said: “Recovering injecting drug users face a lifelong battle in overcoming their addiction, added to living with HCV. So clinicians need to ensure that administration of medication is as straightforward as possible without reminding them of their former addictions; new findings show that drug workers and clients prefer pen delivery systems to needles and syringes. Meeting these preferences may improve adherence and, therefore, help reduce the debilitating and sometimes fatal effects associated with HCV.”

www.plusve.org

References

1.                  Hepatitis C Action Plan for England , Department of Health, page 7, July 2004

2.         Hepatitis C Action Plan for England , Department of Health, page 6, July 2004

(5/8/05)