Hepatitis C is curable. Why are Australians still dying from it?
The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin.
It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C.
It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation.
It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks.
It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon.
Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure.
Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C.
Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind?
New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control.
In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use.
Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges.
With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C.
Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection.
Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it.
This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease.
Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C.
When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas.
The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important.
Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated.
Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected.
No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity.
Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind.
It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required.
If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit www.heplink.au for free, confidential information and support.
Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope.
The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin.
It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C.
It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation.
It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks.
It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon.
Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure.
Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C.
Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind?
New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control.
In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use.
Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges.
With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C.
Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection.
Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it.
This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease.
Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C.
When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas.
The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important.
Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated.
Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected.
No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity.
Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind.
It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required.
If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit www.heplink.au for free, confidential information and support.
Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope.
The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin.
It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C.
It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation.
It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks.
It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon.
Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure.
Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C.
Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind?
New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control.
In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use.
Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges.
With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C.
Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection.
Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it.
This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease.
Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C.
When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas.
The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important.
Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated.
Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected.
No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity.
Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind.
It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required.
If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit www.heplink.au for free, confidential information and support.
Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope.
The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin.
It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C.
It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation.
It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks.
It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon.
Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure.
Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C.
Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind?
New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control.
In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use.
Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges.
With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C.
Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection.
Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it.
This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease.
Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C.
When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas.
The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important.
Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated.
Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected.
No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity.
Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind.
It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required.
If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit www.heplink.au for free, confidential information and support.
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The Australian
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