Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41651702›Full record

SynthesisThe International journal on drug policy2026

Global coverage of interventions for reduction of injecting drug use-related harm, HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis in prisons and other carceral settings: A systematic review.

Thomas Santo, Matthew Hickman, Frederick L Altice, Jason Grebely, Sophia Taylor, Michelle Lynch, Aleksa Kamenjaš, Jack Marsden, Lucy T Tran, Paige Webb and 16 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The International journal on drug policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

26 authors.

Thomas SantoNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: t.santo@unsw.edu.au.
Matthew HickmanNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia; Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Frederick L AlticeYale University, New Haven, United States.
Jason GrebelyKirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Sophia TaylorNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Michelle LynchNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Aleksa KamenjašNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Jack MarsdenNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Lucy T TranNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Paige WebbNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Olivia PriceNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Christel MacdonaldNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Linda MontanariEuropean Union Drugs Agency, Lisbon, Portugal.
Luis RoyuelaEuropean Union Drugs Agency, Lisbon, Portugal.
Anja BusseDepartment of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland.
Jack StonePopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Filipa Alves da CostaUniversity of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
Justin BerkBrown University, Providence, United States.
Colleen DanielsMédecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Access Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Evan CunninghamKirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Peter VickermanPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Behzad HajarizadehKirby Institute, University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Keith SabinJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Geneva, Switzerland.
Annette VersterDepartment of Global HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STI Programmes (HSS), World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland.
Michael FarrellNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.
Louisa DegenhardtNational Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW Sydney), Sydney, Australia.

Funding

Prison Interventions and HIV Prevention CollaborationR01DA029910 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI FREDERICK LEWIS ALTICE · 2010 to 2026
$7.9M
Addiction, HIV and Tuberculosis in Malaysian Criminal Justice SettingsR01DA041271 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI SHENOI, SHEELA · 2016 to 2021
$3.3M
Intervention of HIV, Drug Use and the Criminal Justice System in MalaysiaR01DA025943 · NIDA · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI ALTICE, FREDERICK LEWIS · 2008 to 2012
$2.7M
TRANSFORM - Transforming the evidence base on estimating prevalence of opioid use disorder and expanded access to interventions to prevent drug related deaths: an international data linkage studyR01DA059822 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES · PI Joshua Adam Barocas, Louisa Degenhardt · 2024 to 2026
$2.3M
Injectable Extended-Release Buprenorphine (XR-B) in a Correctional Setting: A Pilot Randomized Controlled TrialK23DA055695 · NIDA · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · PI Justin Berk · 2022 to 2026
$1.0M
NIDA NIH HHS K23 DA055695NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA025943NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA029910NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA041271NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA059822
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople who are incarcerated experience disproportionately high rates of injecting drug use and infectious disease, including HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. However, comprehensive global data regarding the availability of services that prevent and manage infectious disease, injecting drug use and related harms remain limited and outdated. We provide the first systematic review to comprehensively examine the availability and coverage of infectious disease prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services for incarcerated populations globally.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review of evidence for provision of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), needle syringe programs (NSPs), HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART), hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment, tuberculosis screening and treatment, hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing, treatment, and vaccination in carceral settings. We searched from peer-reviewed and grey literature databases between 2000 and 2025 and used the most recent data available for each indicator.

findingsOAT was documented in 59/207 countries (29 %), and NSPs in ten (5 %). HIV testing was documented in 86 countries (42 %) and ART in 79 countries (38 %). HCV testing was confirmed in 55 (27 %), with DAA treatment in 47 (23 %). HBV testing was identified in 51 countries (25 %), treatment in 36 (17 %), and vaccination in 41 (20 %). Tuberculosis screening was documented in 96 countries (46 %) and treatment in 81 (39 %). Fewer than 2 % (approximately 172,000) of the 11.3 million people incarcerated worldwide live in countries that offer OAT, NSPs, and treatment for HIV, HCV, HBV, and tuberculosis in at least one carceral facility. There is not a single country where incarcerated people have access to all such services in every facility. Programme level evidence was rarely available.

interpretationThe global shortage of services that prevent and treat infectious disease and harms related to injecting drug use in carceral settings is a critical public health issue and, compared with community standards, a breach of human rights. This study underscores the urgent need for international collaboration and policy reform to scale up and stabilise services that address the health needs of incarcerated populations, ultimately improving health outcomes for both incarcerated populations and wider community.

fundingAustralian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Indexed as

Harm ReductionHIV InfectionsPrisonsSubstance Abuse, IntravenousTuberculosisGlobal HealthHealth Services for PrisonersHepatitis, Viral, HumanHumansNeedle-Exchange ProgramsPrisonersHarm reductionHealth services coverageHepatitisHIVNeedle and syringe programsOpioid agonist treatmentPrisonsTuberculosis

Identifiers

PMID41651702
PMCPMC13051234

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.