SUMMARY BackgroundChronic hepatitis C infection is common in drug users. Treatment of injectors is possible under controlled conditions, but many have not yet been included in treatment programmes as there are concerns about their ability to comply with therapy. It is not known which factors influence compliance.

Despite easy access to antiviral therapy, uptake of treatment was poor, with no significant difference between the groups. Nurse-led initiation of interferon-based antiviral therapy in PWID did not lead to increased uptake of, response to or adherence with treatment. Further service improvement is unlikely to increase the proportion of PWID undergoing antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus and early adoption of interferon-free regimens may increase the proportion initiating and completing treatment.

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