NHS England has reported that following a five-year antiviral drugs deal worth almost £1 billion, deaths from Hepatitis C – including liver disease and cancer – have fallen by 35%.
It has now exceeded the World Health Organization‘s target of 10% by more than three-fold and is on track to eliminate hepatitis C five years before the World Health Organization’s (WHO) overall 2030 target.
The NHS’ hepatitis C elimination scheme has helped find and cure 70,000 people of the potentially fatal disease and reduced the number of people seeking liver transplants due to Hepatitis C by two-thirds within six years.
In 2020, there were less than 50 liver transplant annual registrations among patients with Hepatitis C-related diseases, down from over 140 in 2015. This figure is expected to be even lower in 2022.
The number of people needing liver transplants as a result of the virus has decreased by two-thirds in just six years, and in 2020, there will be less than 50 patients a year requiring a liver transplant who have Hepatitis C-related disorders.
People in the most deprived communities have seen the biggest benefit, with 80% of treatments provided to the most deprived half of the population.
Sources
- NHS set to eliminate Hepatitis C ahead of rest of the world. NHS England. https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/12/nhs-set-to-eliminate-hepatitis-c/ Accessed 6th December 2022
- NHS England set to be first in world to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030. PMLIVE. https://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/nhs_england_on_track_to_be_first_in_world_to_eliminate_hepatitis_c_by_2030_1482594?utm_source=pmlive&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pmlive_daily& Accessed 6th December 2022