Official visit of EMCDDA Director to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

The purpose of the visit is to discuss opportunities for further collaboration between the two agencies. Since signing a formal EMCDDA–ECDC cooperation agreement in 2007, the two agencies have worked together on collecting, analysing and disseminating data, particularly in the area of monitoring drug-related infectious diseases (e.g. HIV, HCV and HBV). In 2011, the agencies issued joint guidance on the Prevention and control of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs.

Topics discussed during the meeting are: proposals to promote greater involvement of drug services in infectious disease testing (to complement European Testing Week); ways of improving the surveillance and monitoring capacity of EU Member States (with a particular focus on HCV); and the provision of evidence-based information and best practice for EU Member States and EU institutions.