Abstract: Phase I of the Zurich Prometheus Study is a cross-sectional study focusing on an up-to-date serology for HIV and hepatitis B/C and associated risk factors for all clients in four participating clinics offering opiate substitution in Zurich, Switzerland. The mean age of the 603 respondents is 30.7 years (SD=6.2), and 38% of them are women. Seventy-five percent of the respondents have a history of injecting drug use (IDU), and over half have injected within the past six months. Lab-confirmed seroprevalence for HBV (50%) and HCV (57%) is twice that of HIV (24%). There is an 80% risk reduction for all three viral infections among those starting IDU after 1991—when harm reduction efforts were in full swing—compared to those who began before 1988—before clean needles were widely available. These findings suggest a strongly protective effective of harm reduction measures. But while a stabilization in HIV prevalence at 15% can be seen among drug users who started injecting after 1991, prevalence rates for HBV and HCV still remain several times higher. The prevalence data in this study support data showing continued high incidence rates for HBV and HCV, even among new injectors in the harm reduction era.

Abstract: Einer Einführung zum Stande der Forschung zum moderaten Alkoholkonsum folgen eine Gesamtübersicht und die Kategorisierung von Behandlungsangeboten in der Schweiz zum Kontrollierten Trinken (KT) sowie von Ansätzen zur Konsumsteuerung ambulant und stationär. Erste Ergebnisse einer Internetumfrage bei n = 34 KT-Therapeutinnen und Therapeuten 2009 erlauben einen Vergleich zwischen der Kurspraxis und den Kurskonzepten alcochoix+ und dem KT-Modell nach Körkel. Entgegen den konzeptuellen Programmvorgaben bejahen die KT-Therapeuten die Anwendung auch bei abhängigen Klienten und konstatieren Individualisierungsbedarf. Controlled drinking programs in Switzerland – a look into the black box A short introduction on alcohol and moderation is followed by an overview of controlled drinking programs (cd) in Switzerland as well as approaches to limit consumption (,wet places‘). The results of an internet survey conducted in 2009 among n = 34 treatment staff who run cd-programs allow for a comparison between treatment practice and program concepts in the French (adapted version of the Canadian program alcochoix+) and the German speaking part (German cd program according to Körkel) of Switzerland. Contrary to officially declared program limitations cd therapists agree that cd treatment should also be offered to dependent alcohol users and require a more individualized assessment. Recruiting clients for cd programs and competing claims of abstinence oriented treatment providers are reported as key issues – even though frequent client flows from cd to abstinence programs can be observed.