For those affected
Hepatitis C is among the most common chronic illnesses in drug users. Every year roughly 500 drug users who inject heroin or cocaine are diagnosed with a hepatitis C infection. No vaccination exists against hepatitis C. This makes it crucial for you to avoid any contact with other people’s blood, which may contain the hepatitis C virus and lead to an infection.
Hepatitis can be cured! The new drugs that have been on the market for a few years are highly effective, with almost no side effects. Treatment usually takes between 8 and 12 weeks.
Get tested! The earlier a hepatitis C infection is detected and treated, the lower the risk of severe complications such as liver cancer or cirrhosis of the liver (incurable scarring of the liver tissue). Consult a doctor or a specialist at an addiction counselling centre. The tests are very reliable. Thanks to new examination methods, liver damage and the progress of the disease can now be easily measured. In most cases, painful surgery (liver biopsy) is no longer necessary.
