The Hepatitis C and Drug Use Research Group undertakes internationally leading research to improve the health of people who use drugs, with a specific focus on hepatitis C infection. We conduct research which engages with affected communities, practitioners, policy makers, and other stakeholders to impact practice and policy.
Our group conducts evidence synthesis, cohort studies, and clinical trials. We evaluate interventions to enhance hepatitis C testing and treatment, with a focus on people who use drugs. We also conduct research to understand harms that may be related to drug use and interventions to address these harms. This includes systematic reviews of the global epidemiology of injecting drug use, infectious diseases, and coverage of interventions to reduce harms among people who inject drugs. Our research incorporates social science to understand barriers and facilitators for the uptake of new interventions from the perspective of the affected community, practitioners, and policy makers. We collaborate closely with the affected community and other researchers (e.g. Centre for Social Research in Health and the National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre) to conduct this research. Our work aims to generate new knowledge, change clinical guidelines, improve clinical practice, transform health service delivery, and inform policy, placing Australia at the global forefront of hepatitis C and drug use research.
