UK NHS: England Near Eliminating Hepatitis C

UK NHS: England Near Eliminating Hepatitis C, Deaths Drop 36%

Is England on the cusp of eliminating hepatitis C or is it still too soon to declare victory?

Published AUG 11

UK NHS: England Near Eliminating Hepatitis C

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Above: Main entrance of Royal Berkshire hospital building, Reading, Berkshire, England, U.K., on Jan 16. Image credit: Geography Photos/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

The Spin

England is now on the cusp of eliminating hepatitis C, leading the world in the fight against a once life-threatening disease. More than 100,000 people have received curative treatment in a decade, pushing England past the WHO's 80% treatment benchmark, while deaths have fallen 36%. With treatment curing more than 95% of cases, England is on track to beat the WHO's 2030 target and become one of the first countries to eliminate the virus.

NHS England

England's progress against hepatitis C is real, but declaring victory now risks undermining the work still required to finish the job. Diagnosis remains below the WHO's 90% target, while infection rates and needle-and-syringe provision also fall short of elimination benchmarks. Sustaining this momentum will require continued investment, testing and targeted support for the marginalized communities still facing barriers to care.

The Hepatitis C Trust The Hepatitis C Trust