England's NHS has pulled off something remarkable — treating over 100,000 people for hepatitis C in a decade and slashing deaths by 36%. Antiviral drugs now cure more than 95% of cases in just 8 to 12 weeks, and England has already blown past the WHO's 80% treatment benchmark. This is what smart, prevention-first health care looks like, and the rest of the world should be taking notes.
England's hepatitis C progress didn't happen in a vacuum — it grew directly from the contaminated blood scandal that infected thousands with HIV and hepatitis in the 1970s and 1980s. Real accountability means implementing the Infected Blood Inquiry's recommendations in full, not just in principle. Eliminating the virus means nothing if the patients harmed by NHS failures still lack full recognition, compensation and lasting safety reforms.
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.4.1