EMCDDA webinar: Updated ECDC–EMCDDA guidance on prevention and control of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs — practical implications
Objective: This webinar will consider the practical implications of this recently updated guidance from the EMCDDA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). It will explore the issue from the perspectives of three key stakeholder groups: people-with-lived-experience of drug use, and practitioners and decision-makers working in the drugs field.
Background: Injecting drug use remains an important risk factor for acquiring blood-borne and other infectious diseases in Europe. Prevention and control of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs is important because these diseases reduce individuals’ quality of life and life expectancy. Ultimately, they can lead to both indirect and direct societal costs through, for example, lost productivity, high treatment and care costs, and the risk of onward transmission to others, including those who do not inject drugs.
The updated guidance aims to support policymakers and public health/social programme planners by providing an evidence-base for developing national strategies, policies and programmes for preventing and controlling infections and infectious diseases among people who inject drugs. It also provides practice considerations and aims to inform the monitoring and evaluation of such interventions.
In conversation with:
- Matthew Southwell, European Network of People who Use Drugs (ENPUD)
- Katri Abel-Ollo, Estonian national focal point, National Institute for Health Development
- Alex Baldacchino, Chair, World Psychiatric Association (WPA), Addiction Psychiatry Section, and Immediate Past President and Distinguished Fellow, International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM)
Chairpersons: Anne Bergenström (EMCDDA) and Janelle Sandberg (ECDC)
Opening and closing remarks: Alexis Goosdeel, EMCDDA Director
Format: EMCDDA opening remarks, panellists’ questions, guided discussion, Q&A.
Participants will respond to the following questions:
- What are the practical implications of this guidance from your point of view?
- What are the main barriers and facilitators to implement evidence-based interventions for people who use drugs?
- What are the main challenges for the future?
Length: 1.5 hours
Participants: Those interested will receive a participation link after registration.
Webinar etiquette: We welcome participants using the chat during the webinar, but kindly ask them to refrain from using it for airing grievances, promoting events/commercial initiatives or misusing contact details. Please engage with courtesy and respect. Violation of these guidelines may result in exclusion from the chat by the administrator. Thank you for your cooperation in making this webinar a positive and focused learning experience for all.
Date: Monday 4 December 2023, 12.00–13.30 Lisbon time (WET), 13.00–14.30 CET.
Platform: Zoom
Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BwU2iBq1QWyURA1JBJZYTQ