The NHS is making significant progress towards eliminating Hepatitis C in England by 2025 due to a major drug purchase and efforts to identify those at risk. A five-year contract worth nearly £1 billion to obtain antiviral drugs for patients has led to a 35% decrease in deaths from Hepatitis C, including liver disease and cancer. This has allowed NHS England to achieve its goals five years ahead of the global target of a 10% reduction.
Dedicated "Find And Treat" programs have also been a factor in reducing deaths caused by Hepatitis C, with vulnerable communities such as the homeless now being treated. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that, if left untreated, can lead to liver cancer and even liver failure. Hepatitis B and C cause 1.1 million deaths and 3.0 million new infections yearly. Many people do not know they have a hepatitis infection until they develop serious liver disease or cancer, as per the latest statistics.
Hepatitis C often does not have any symptoms until the virus causes significant damage to the liver. When symptoms do occur, they may include fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The virus is also associated with cardiovascular disease, mental health problems, kidney disease, and musculoskeletal pain. Antiviral drugs can cure more than 95% of people with Hepatitis C with minimal side effects, which means that it is possible to eliminate the virus.
Find and Treat Program
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England's national medical director, stated that the NHS is at the forefront of efforts to eliminate Hepatitis C and reduce health disparities. He credited targeted screening and successful negotiations for medicine agreements that give patients access to the latest drugs as key factors in the NHS's progress toward eliminating Hepatitis C by 2030, which he described as a "landmark achievement."
St Mungo's is a charity that supports "Find and Treat" outreach programs, which aim to ensure that no one, including those who have traditionally been difficult to reach and treat, is left behind in the effort to combat Hepatitis C. These programs have included same-day screenings and assistance in completing a full course of treatment. Substance abuse, sharing personal grooming items like toothbrushes and razors, and other lifestyle factors associated with homelessness increase the risk of contracting Hepatitis C among the homeless population.
Sara Hide, a Hepatitis C coordinator at St Mungo's in Oxford, said that the availability of less invasive treatment options, such as a course of medication for 8-12 weeks, has led to an increase in the number of people responding to screening services. The program has also provided screening for other health conditions to identify clients needing additional support.
Hepatitis C infection. Computer illustration showing liver and close-up view of hepatitis C viruses.
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Treatment Reducing Transplant
According to NHS England, the project has helped to identify and cure 70,000 people of Hepatitis C, leading to a reduction in the number of people seeking liver transplants due to the virus. In the six years following the program's implementation, the number of people seeking liver transplants due to Hepatitis C fell by two-thirds, and the number of yearly registrations for liver transplant individuals with Hepatitis C-related ailments dropped from 140 per year to fewer than 50 annually in 2020.
The project has also provided treatment to 80% of people from communities in the bottom half of the population regarding wealth. An NHS screening program launched in September aims to help thousands of people who may be unaware that they have Hepatitis C to get a diagnosis and treatment earlier by searching health records for risk factors such as previous blood transfusions or HIV infection, as reported by Mirror UK.
Rachel Halford, Chief Executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, stated that the charity is pleased to be involved in this unique opportunity to find, test, and treat those most at risk of contracting Hepatitis C. She emphasized the need for a final push to reach all those who may be affected and achieve the goal of elimination, including investment in a national campaign to increase public awareness and reduce the stigma surrounding Hepatitis C. This would encourage those who may have been at risk to get tested.
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