Candidate hepatitis C vaccine trials and people who inject drugs: challenges and opportunities.
People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk of HCV. Limited evidence of the effectiveness of prevention interventions and low uptake of treatment in this group highlight the need for increased investment in biomedical interventions, notably safe and efficacious vaccines. While several candidates are currently in development, field trials in PWID present challenges, including ethical issues associated with trial literacy, informed consent and standards of care. Significant biological and social factors and differences between HIV and HCV suggest that HCV warrants targeted vaccine preparedness research to lay the groundwork for successful implementation of future trials.
Maher
Lisa
L
National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Centre for Immunology, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia. LMaher@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
White
Bethany
B
Hellard
Margaret
M
Madden
Annie
A
Prins
Maria
M
Kerr
Thomas
T
Page
Kimberly
K
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D055030:Drug Users; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics; D059039:Standard of Care; D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014761:Viral Hepatitis Vaccines