Barriers in the implementation of harm reduction interventions in European prisons. From evidence to practice

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The session aims at presenting the harm reduction services in European prisons: their availability, provision, and coverage. During the session the best models of interventions will be presented and the main barriers for implementation and possible solutions discussed with experts from professional and institutional field what are. The session will be organised around five presentations describing drug related harms and harm reduction responses in prison, focusing on: 1. overview of the availability, provision and coverage of harm reduction in European prisons; 2. drug related harms among prison population and risk factors for HIV and HCV among prison population in four European countries; 3. international guidance to address infectious diseases and other drug harms in prison settings; 4. implementation of medically assisted treatment in European prisons and barriers to implement it; 5. models of care and barriers to implementation of harm reduction services in prison, focusing on those aimed at the elimination of hepatitis among prison population. The main issues from the different presentations will be highlighted in the discussion, identifying the barriers of implementation discussed from the perspective of health staff working in prison and of international organizations supporting the development of prison health services