The MidAtlantic AETC works hard to educate healthcare professionals in prevention, treatment, and care for people with hepatitis C or at risk for hepatitis C. An upcoming event for people who prescribe hepatitis C medication is in November and April hosted by our Philadelphia Regional Partner of the MidAtlantic AETC.
The Journal of the International AIDS Society recently released an important article about Hepatitis C elimination. Please read the blurb below and click the link at the bottom to read the full article they published.
----------------------------------------------------------
Direct from the Journal of the International AIDS Society:
Dear readers,
Tomorrow, 28 July 2023, marks World Hepatitis Day. On this occasion, the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) invites you to read a new viewpoint titled “The path to hepatitis C elimination: who are we leaving behind and why?” by Jürgen Rockstroh, Tracy Swan, Judy Chang, Fauzi Elamouri, and Andrew R. Lloyd.
HIV and Hepatitis C are two epidemics that significantly overlap, as they often occur as comorbid conditions. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 58 million people have a chronic hepatitis C virus infection. While chronic hepatitis infections can be treated with antivirals, treatment rates are low, and many people die due to a lack of diagnosis or treatment despite the existence of highly effective antiviral medication [1].
In this viewpoint the authors discuss the major challenges faced in the HCV response: the resourcing and implementation of available HCV tests and treatment, particularly for vulnerable populations. The authors highlight the need to adjust HCV care to ensure marginalized populations are not left behind, specifically people who inject drugs and incarcerated people. The authors note, “Given the importance of prison-based HCV testing and treatment for national and global elimination efforts, the lack of prison-specific impact and coverage targets in the WHO guidance is a significant gap in public health policy.”
This viewpoint serves as a reminder that a multifaceted and targeted approach is needed to successfully respond to global epidemics, such as HCV and HIV.
[1] WHO 2022 Fact Sheet on Hepatitis C
The Journal of the International AIDS Society is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal, which publishes HIV-related research from various disciplines and particularly encourages submissions in implementation sciences.