The objective of this research was to investigate the frequency and nature of chronic liver disease among intravenous drug users attending the Drug Advisory and Treatment Centre in Dublin. Between 1 May and 31 December 1979, 139 drug users attended the Centre; 127 were intravenous drug users, and of these, 46 agreed to have liver biopsies. On the basis of the biopsies and interviews and physical examinations, the authors suggested that six-tenths of the intravenous drug users attending the Drug Advisory and Detoxification Centre had some form of chronic liver disease, with just under one in five suffering from chronic aggressive hepatitis.

The authors stated that these results demonstrated the magnitude of the healthcare needs in relation to liver disease among intravenous drug users in Ireland, and highlighted an area where active immunisation against hepatitis B and non-A and non-B-hepatitis was urgently needed.