PRO: Needle Exchange Programs Should Be Instituted to Reduce Hepatitis C Virus Transmission

Heroin use has increased dramatically over the past decade, with more than 500,000 heroin users estimated in the United States today. Injection drug use is the primary route of HCV transmission, with a 75% HCV antibody prevalence rate observed in people who inject drugs (PWID). Injection risk behaviors, such as the sharing of contaminated needles and equipment, contribute significantly to viral transmission.1 NEPs providing free access to...