Semin Liver Dis 2020; 40(04): 392-402
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713657
Review Article

Simplification of Care for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Jean-Michel Pawlotsky
1   Department of Virology, National Reference Center for Viral Hepatitis B, C and D, Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris-Est—INSERM U955, Créteil, France
,
Christian B. Ramers
2   Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California
,
John F. Dillon
3   Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
,
Jordan J. Feld
4   Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
,
Jeffrey V. Lazarus
5   Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
› Author Affiliations
Funding This study was funded by AbbVie.

Abstract

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) set a target for eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030. However, while today's highly effective and well-tolerated pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral regimens have maximized simplification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, there remain a plethora of barriers to HCV screening, diagnosis, and linkage to care. As of 2017, only 19% of the estimated 71 million individuals living with chronic HCV worldwide were diagnosed and in 2015 to 2016, only 21% of diagnosed individuals had accessed treatment. Simplification and decentralization of the HCV care cascade would bolster patient engagement and support the considerable scale-up needed to achieve WHO targets. Recent developments in HCV screening and diagnosis, together with reduced pretreatment assessment and on-treatment monitoring requirements, can further streamline the care continuum, ensuring patients are linked to care quickly and earlier in the disease course, and minimize clinic visits.



Publication History

Article published online:
28 July 2020

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