Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV, a new Lancet Series highlights the threat of a largely unpublicised and growing HIV epidemic—in people who use drugs. While large gains have been made in fighting the epidemic in the general population, socially marginalised populations such as people who use drugs, continue to suffer great stigma and lack of access to treatments that can save both their own lives and prevent HIV transmission to others. "Complacency about the HIV /AIDS epidemic now would be a terrible mistake," says Lancet Editor, Dr Richard Horton.
Below is a quote from the final paper in the Series:
"If drug control sectors and law enforcement are not a part of new approaches, then harm-reduction programmes will be closed, substitution clinics will stay sparsely attended, and antiretroviral and preventive interventions will have a low uptake by drug users."
To interview Lancet Editor-in-Chief Dr Richard Horton or Executive Editor Dr Pamela Das, please call +44 (0) 20 7424 4949 E) tony.kirby@lancet.com
The Lancet