The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union informed the EMCDDA that there was an error in its Annual Report (released on 25 november, 2004). In its reply to HCLU EMCDDA acknowledged the mistake and promised to correct it in the online version.
The table on page 56 demonstrated that the prevalence of HIV is zero percent among Hungarian intravenous drug users according to research done with "national coverage". In addition, on the next page (p. 57) another table shows the HCV prevalence is roughly 30% among Hungarian intravenous drug users, again with "national coverage".
However, in the past 15 years there was NO research carried out in Hungary on HIV or HCV prevalence among intravenous drug users with national coverage.
The only research existing is Sentinel Surveillance research carried out by Eszter Ujhelyi M.D. (Szent László Hospital, Budapest) from year to year since 1997 with a small research sample (331 persons in the year 2003). This research covers only the data of intravenous drug users from two treatment facilities in Budapest. One is the detoxification centre of the Toxicological Department of the Erzsébet Hospital, the other is the Methadone Treatment Program of the Nyírő Gyula Hospital. Considering that according to the most conservative estimates there are cca. 10,000-15,000 intravenous drug users in the country (at least 10,000 in Budapest alone), this sample cannot be referred neither as representative nor as with national coverage.
