WHO has released new details regarding membership of the Guidelines Development Group (GDG) for development of new guidance on Hepatitis C self-testing in 2021. The meeting of the GDG will be held on 18–19 February 2021 and will focus on reviewing the latest evidence on Hepatitis C self-testing. The purpose of the meeting is to…
Cost-effectiveness of screening and treatment using direct-acting antivirals for chronic Hepatitis C virus in a primary care setting in Karachi, Pakistan
Nyashadzaishe Mafirakureva 1, Aaron G Lim 1, Gul Ghuttai Khalid 2, Khawar Aslam 2, Linda Campbell 1, Hassaan Zahid 2, Rafael Van den Bergh 3, Gregoire Falq 4, Camille Fortas 4, Yves Wailly 3, Rosa Auat 3, Dmytro Donchuk 3, Anne Loarec 4, Joanna Coast 1, Peter Vickerman 1 5, Josephine G Walker 1 Abstract Despite the availability of effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) HCV…
Research: $3.9 billion needed to eliminate hepatitis C in Pakistan
A large investment of at least US$3.9 billion needed to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target for the elimination of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Pakistan could deliver huge benefits in terms of lives saved and reduced ill health, according to University of Bristol led research published in The Lancet Global Health. Pakistan has one…
News: International liver associations call for simplified & more accessible hepatitis C care
In November, representatives from international liver associations called for hepatitis C testing and treatment to be simplified globally. Spearheaded by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) and the Asian Pacific…
News: Class-action lawsuit filed in Nevada alleging hepatitis C care inaccessible to people in prison
In the United States, a federal class-action lawsuit was filed last month alleging that people incarcerated in Department of Corrections facilities in the state of Nevada do not have adequate access to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), the standard of care for the treatment and cure of chronic hepatitis C. According to an article in the Las…
News: Four countries agree to lead the way on an intersectoral approach to HIV, TB & viral hepatitis
Belarus, Georgia, Portugal and Tajikistan have agreed to lead the way in adopting approaches to HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and viral hepatitis that include cooperation with sectors outside of health care. This pilot initiative follows the 2018 launch of the United Nations common position on ending HIV, TB and viral hepatitis through intersectoral collaboration. Signed by 14 United…
News: Government in Pakistan announces ambitious plan to eliminate hepatitis
The WHO reports that in Pakistan, 5 and 10 million people are affected with hepatitis B and C respectively. Thousands of new patients contract the disease every year due to lack of prevention, testing and treatment resources as well as inadequately screened blood transfusion, improperly sterilized invasive medical devices and unsafe injections. To address the…
Research: Improvements in screening, prevention and treatment required to meet global hep C elimination targets
New research published in The Lancet suggests that if improvements in public health interventions for hepatitis C are made, the global elimination targets of reducing new infections by 80% could be met in 2030, and the target to reduce mortality by 65% could be met in 2032. The study modelled the impact of four public…
Research: Needle/syringe programs highly cost-effective for hep C prevention in UK
According to research published in Addiction, needle and syringe programs are a highly cost-effective means of preventing hepatitis C transmission among people who inject drugs. Investment in such programming, the results show, could save millions of pounds in treatment costs in the United Kingdom (UK). Using data from three UK cities, the researchers estimated the…
Research: Modelling for microelimination in 3 regions of Switzerland
New research published in Swiss Medical Weekly models the current epidemiology of hepatitis C virus in three regions of Switzerland, identifying increases in diagnosis and treatment rates that may be required to achieve the goals of the Swiss Hepatitis Strategy. According to the study, elimination of chronic hepatitis C infection in eastern (region of St…
Microelimination.org: resources for individuals and organizations interested in hepatitis C microelimination 