The San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force has called for a supervised safe injection facility for drug users in its final report.

The report, which came out in late January, also urged the city to do more to prevent and manage the life-threatening liver disease, including expanded testing and treatment.

Former Mayor Gavin Newsom established the task force in September 2009. the 30-member group includes public health officials, medical professionals, social service providers, treatment activists, and people living with hepatitis C.

“It’s great that Mayor Newsom and [current] Mayor [Ed Lee] have taken an interest in hepatitis C,” said task force member Dr. Brad Hare, medical director of the Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital. “It is a major health concern for our city.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3.2 million people in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis C, including approximately 12,000 in San Francisco. but because hepatitis C typically causes mild or no symptoms during its early stages, many people do not learn they are infected until they develop liver cirrhosis or cancer years later.

Hepatitis C virus is most often transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, for example sharing needles to inject drugs or hormones, or reusing piercing or tattooing equipment. Outbreaks of sexually transmitted hepatitis C among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men have been reported in several cities in the U.S. and Europe. but many people have no apparent risk factors and do not know how they became infected.

The task force report, “Recommendations for Strategically Addressing Hepatitis C in San Francisco,” is the outcome of a yearlong process to identify gaps in how the city responds to the disease. the full report is available online at hepcsf.org.

Among the key recommendations are establishing a hepatitis C coordinator within the Department of Public Health, starting a community planning council, making hepatitis testing and treatment more widely available, ensuring full access to hepatitis C care through the Healthy San Francisco program, and developing education and awareness campaigns.

“Our report highlights significant gaps in services for people like me who are living with hepatitis C and others at risk of infection,” said task force co-chair Dominique Leslie. “We urge Mayor Lee and the Board of Supervisors to take swift action to implement our recommendations.”

Although the recommendations come at a time when the city budget is stretched and services are being cut, the task force argues that spending money on hepatitis C prevention, testing, and timely treatment will pay off down the road.

“San Francisco has a unique opportunity to prevent new infections and save money for the city, provide care and treatment for those living with hepatitis C, prevent long-term complications, and be a leader in the national fight against this disease,” said task force member Dr. Todd Frederick of California Pacific Medical Center.

The report’s most controversial recommendation is creation of a pilot supervised safe injection facility, where drug users can administer drugs using clean needles under the watchful eye of trained staff. currently Vancouver has the only facility of this type in North America, which has been credited with lowering incidence of blood-borne infections and reducing overdose deaths.

“This particular recommendation is pushing the envelope,” Hare told the Bay Area Reporter, “but it really has an opportunity to improve the health of city residents who do inject.”

The task force will continue as a community coalition, advocating for full implementation of the report’s recommendations and continuing to educate public officials, medical and social service providers, high-risk groups, and the general public about hepatitis C and its impact.

The task force is currently seeking new members, focusing on San Francisco residents who are living with hepatitis C or belong to under-represented and at-risk groups including youth, people of color, transgender individuals, and drug users. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month and are open to the public. the application deadline is February 28. For more information contact .