Chronic pain sufferers feel dismissed by healthcare professionals
Published 21 July 2025, 8:12 am
Around four million Australians of all ages suffer from chronic pain. Many say they feel unheard and invisible in the healthcare system. Experts are calling for national investment in the space, including a holistic care approach to deal with often complicated causes.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Wood heater pollution is a silent killer. Here's where the smoke is worst
Every year the winter cold brings an ambient haze of wood heater smoke to the suburbs, streets and houses of southern Australia. This smoke can aggravate asthma, divide neighbours and drive people inside. Now, new modelling gives a clearer picture of its toll on the nation's health. The Centre for Safe Air at the University of Tasmania estimates long-term exposure to wood-heater smoke causes 729 premature deaths every year in Australia, which is more than the deaths attributable to emissions from the national fleet of 20 million vehicles, or from energy generation, or even bushfires. Along with this figure, the Centre has built the first national map of wood-heater emissions and deaths attributable to these emissions, with a resolution that can pick out clusters of suburbs most at risk. Cost-of-living pressures, power price hikes and a wood-heater sales boom during COVID may mean more houses are burning wood than ever before. Meanwhile, Australians are increasingly aware the smoke is a risk to their health. Neighbourly bust-ups over the issue appear to be on the rise. Here's where the smoke is worst, and where long-term exposure is costing the most lives. The Centre for Safe Air combined particulate pollution readings from around Australia with surveys of wood heater use to generate its national map of wood heater pollution. Let's focus on the cities in the south-east corner of Australia, which has the highest concentration of wood heaters. The map below shows total wood heater emissions by kilograms per year in 2015. As you might expect, the wood smoke is generally thickest in regional areas. Towns like Armidale in NSW or Devonport in Tasmania have well-documented smoke problems. "In small communities where every second person has a wood heater, you do get that pall of smoke and it's really dense," Fay Johnston, lead investigator at the Centre, said. But wood heater smoke is not solely a regional issue. In fact, when we look at its public health impact, or how wood smoke affects the population as a whole, we find wood smoke causes more harm in capital cities than in regional areas. Every morning, Lisa checks her neighbour's chimney for white smoke. The young mother, who asked to remain anonymous, realised there was a wood-smoke problem soon after moving with her family to Sydney's Sutherland Shire. "[The neighbour] runs the wood heater most weekday evenings and throughout the weekend, so we can't open our windows, can't access our backyard," she said. "Our other neighbour says their cat smells of smoke." She said she was forced to keep her toddler inside on bad smoke days, worried about his health. When she politely raised the issue with the wood-burning neighbours, she said they responded defensively: "They said 'We've been doing this for 20 years and no-one else has complained.'" Wood smoke contains tiny airborne particles that can be trapped in our lungs. Long-term exposure can cause heart- and lung disease. Short-term exposure can aggravate asthma or worsen pre-existing heart conditions. Even a low background exposure to wood smoke can have a measurable public health impact. Wood heaters are so polluting, it only takes a relatively small number of homes burning wood to expose millions of people in a city to pollution, Professor Johnston from the Centre for Safe Air said. By combining this measured effect of wood smoke on health with the estimate of wood heater emissions in different parts of the country, the Centre created a second national map, showing the public health impact of wood smoke. The map below shows estimated earlier-than-expected deaths per 100,000 people due to exposure to wood-heater smoke. The top regions are in south-east Australia. The public health impact of wood smoke squarely falls hardest on the relatively heavily populated cities, even though the concentration of wood smoke may be lower than in some regional towns. And there's one city where the public health impact is greatest. Perhaps surprisingly, given their cooler climates, it's not Hobart or Melbourne. A higher proportion of people die earlier in Lisa's home city of Sydney than expected due to wood-heater pollution than other parts of south-east Australia. This is partly due to its topography, with the harbour and surrounding land forming a bowl that traps smoke. "Our topography definitely lends itself to trapping air pollutants within the Sydney basin," Peter Irga, an expert in air quality at the University of Technology Sydney, said. "Other than Launceston, the other major cities don't have that basin topography." Within this bowl, "middle suburbs" such as Parramatta or Marrickville have a combination of high population density, freestanding homes with chimneys, and access to relatively cheap firewood. About 5 per cent of homes in Sydney own a wood heater, but the Centre for Safe Air's modelling suggests these relatively few emitters cause more than 300 earlier-than-expected deaths in the city every year. "The modelled estimate of deaths attributable to wood heater particulate pollution are higher than that those attributable to motor vehicle particulate pollution," Professor Johnston said. "Wood heaters really punch above their weight when it comes to putting pollution into the atmosphere, relative to the benefit they give us in terms of heat. But these maps don't tell the full story. The modelling relies on air-quality measurement stations dotted around the country that don't capture the emissions for those directly downwind of wood heater chimneys. It's here, at the very local scale, that smoke can be thickest. And where there's smoke, there's often angry neighbours. Arabella Daniel, a Melbourne-based community organiser against wood heater pollution, said it was "a neighbour against neighbour issue". Ms Daniel, who once took legal action against a neighbour over wood smoke, runs the My Air Quality Australia Facebook page, which has 3,000 members. "We've really had a surge in members in the last 12 months," she said. About 10 per cent of households use wood heaters as their primary source of heat, but millions breathe the smoke these heaters produce. It's this disparity that makes wood-heater smoke a prime source of neighbourly conflict. Members of the Facebook group share stories of complaints to councils and heated arguments with neighbours. "There's a lot of suffering. People are silent because to complain about wood smoke means you're dobbing in your neighbour," Ms Daniel said. Members of the group who spoke to the ABC asked to remain anonymous. Max in Thirroul, just south of Sydney, has sealed windows and doorways and installed air purifiers to protect his 11-year-old asthmatic son from wood smoke. "Soon as it gets cold, around 4pm, the wood smoke becomes so bad you can't go outside." He said his air-quality monitors regularly clocked particulate readings of more than 50 micrograms per cubic meter, which was considered unhealthy with prolonged exposure. Amber, in Canberra, fell out with neighbours over wood smoke she said was giving her and her family sinus headaches. "We were initially really good friends with them … Our whole roof is covered in soot from their chimney." Several members feared a complaint would lead to their neighbour burning more wood — a practice known in the group as "revenge burning". Many said complaints to local and state governments have gone nowhere. These were common stories, Professor Johnston from the Centre for Safe Air said. "It's a really knotty neighbourhood problem for which we don't have particularly good tools." Wood smoke pollution was the responsibility of local councils, which were either reluctant to deal with the problem or not resourced to police chimney smoke, she said. Wood heater sales (which don't include open fireplaces, fire pits, pizza ovens or other outdoor wood-burners) increased 40 per cent between 2008 and 2021, according to industry group, the Home Heating Association. Sales dropped after the pandemic, but there's no sign of a long-term decline. Dr Irga from UTS said cost-of-living pressures and higher electricity prices were driving more Australians to burn wood for heat, including — in some cases — toxic construction materials. Meanwhile, new air quality monitoring and mapping technologies are making wood smoke harder to ignore. On July 6, 2025, a combination of cold and calm weekend weather in Melbourne saw wood smoke emissions spike in some areas of the city. The night-time event was captured by a relatively new network of low-cost, real-time air quality monitors, many of them privately owned by households. Called "Purple Air", the data from these monitors is shared to a publicly accessible online database. On July 6, around 7.30pm, Purple Air sensors around Melbourne showed levels of particulate pollution considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, even for short-term exposure. As the night wore on, pollution readings peaked. Heater-owners preparing for bed often close heater vents to stop oxygen flow, leading to incomplete combustion causing wood to smoulder, and produces large amounts of smoke that spreads into the surrounding properties. The pollution spike was also visible on Google Maps, which introduced an air quality overlay earlier this year based on data from government monitoring stations. New maps may be helping some groups like My Air Quality Australia keep tabs on pollution, but there's little sign they're changing attitudes more widely. Surveys show Australians are fairly relaxed about wood smoke, despite having one of the highest asthma rates in the world. Health bodies such as Asthma Australia and the Australian Medical Assocation want state and territory governments to ban new wood heater installs and phase out out the existing ones in residential areas. But governments appear reluctant to impose such a ban. On Facebook pages like My Air Quality Australia, there's a mounting sense of outrage. Even as Australia leads the world in rooftop solar uptake, many rooftops continue to host a much less advanced technology: the smoky chimney. After the July 6 pollution spike, one user observed that about 10 per cent of the 5 million people who live in Melbourne suffer from asthma, which is aggravated by wood smoke. "That's 500,000 people and it still feels like no-one cares. How is that even possible?"
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Bulk bill incentive could miss thousands of GP clinics
A plan to boost the number of fully bulk-billing general practice clinics is likely to fall dramatically short of forecasts, a healthcare directory operator warns. Labor's $7.9 billion plan to expand the Bulk Billing Incentive Program to include non-concession patients projected the number of fully bulk-billing GP clinics to rise to 4800. But healthcare directory operator Cleanbill estimates the number of entirely bulk-billing clinics will rise by just 740 to 2081 because incentive payments will not cover consultation costs for certain clinics. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler slammed the report as inaccurate and fundamentally flawed. "This is a headline-grabbing phone poll conducted by a private company whose own website says their data is not 'reliable, accurate, complete or suitable'," Mr Butler said in a statement. "For the first time, Labor will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient." From November 1, clinics that bulk bill every patient will receive a 12.5 per cent payment for each consultation, along with a conditional, variable payment depending on the clinic's remoteness. The report found it would only make sense for clinics to accept the Bulk Billing Incentive if their out-of-pocket costs were lower than the national average, or if they were more remote and attracted a higher incentive contribution. "The vast majority (72 per cent) of GP clinics are located in metro areas, where the New Total Medicare Payment is still $16 below the current average total cost of a non-bulk-billed standard consultation," the Cleanbill report said. It estimated the economic effect of the Bulk Billing Incentive expansion would need to be between 20 per cent and 30 per cent greater than the actual amount of the incentive payment for 4800 clinics to become fully bulk-billing as a result of the change. Patients whose clinics did not switch to fully bulk billing would face higher out-of-pocket costs in future, Cleanbill said. The federal health department said the report was based on a false assumption that if a GP did not bulk bill every patient, they bulk billed none. A plan to boost the number of fully bulk-billing general practice clinics is likely to fall dramatically short of forecasts, a healthcare directory operator warns. Labor's $7.9 billion plan to expand the Bulk Billing Incentive Program to include non-concession patients projected the number of fully bulk-billing GP clinics to rise to 4800. But healthcare directory operator Cleanbill estimates the number of entirely bulk-billing clinics will rise by just 740 to 2081 because incentive payments will not cover consultation costs for certain clinics. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler slammed the report as inaccurate and fundamentally flawed. "This is a headline-grabbing phone poll conducted by a private company whose own website says their data is not 'reliable, accurate, complete or suitable'," Mr Butler said in a statement. "For the first time, Labor will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient." From November 1, clinics that bulk bill every patient will receive a 12.5 per cent payment for each consultation, along with a conditional, variable payment depending on the clinic's remoteness. The report found it would only make sense for clinics to accept the Bulk Billing Incentive if their out-of-pocket costs were lower than the national average, or if they were more remote and attracted a higher incentive contribution. "The vast majority (72 per cent) of GP clinics are located in metro areas, where the New Total Medicare Payment is still $16 below the current average total cost of a non-bulk-billed standard consultation," the Cleanbill report said. It estimated the economic effect of the Bulk Billing Incentive expansion would need to be between 20 per cent and 30 per cent greater than the actual amount of the incentive payment for 4800 clinics to become fully bulk-billing as a result of the change. Patients whose clinics did not switch to fully bulk billing would face higher out-of-pocket costs in future, Cleanbill said. The federal health department said the report was based on a false assumption that if a GP did not bulk bill every patient, they bulk billed none. A plan to boost the number of fully bulk-billing general practice clinics is likely to fall dramatically short of forecasts, a healthcare directory operator warns. Labor's $7.9 billion plan to expand the Bulk Billing Incentive Program to include non-concession patients projected the number of fully bulk-billing GP clinics to rise to 4800. But healthcare directory operator Cleanbill estimates the number of entirely bulk-billing clinics will rise by just 740 to 2081 because incentive payments will not cover consultation costs for certain clinics. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler slammed the report as inaccurate and fundamentally flawed. "This is a headline-grabbing phone poll conducted by a private company whose own website says their data is not 'reliable, accurate, complete or suitable'," Mr Butler said in a statement. "For the first time, Labor will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient." From November 1, clinics that bulk bill every patient will receive a 12.5 per cent payment for each consultation, along with a conditional, variable payment depending on the clinic's remoteness. The report found it would only make sense for clinics to accept the Bulk Billing Incentive if their out-of-pocket costs were lower than the national average, or if they were more remote and attracted a higher incentive contribution. "The vast majority (72 per cent) of GP clinics are located in metro areas, where the New Total Medicare Payment is still $16 below the current average total cost of a non-bulk-billed standard consultation," the Cleanbill report said. It estimated the economic effect of the Bulk Billing Incentive expansion would need to be between 20 per cent and 30 per cent greater than the actual amount of the incentive payment for 4800 clinics to become fully bulk-billing as a result of the change. Patients whose clinics did not switch to fully bulk billing would face higher out-of-pocket costs in future, Cleanbill said. The federal health department said the report was based on a false assumption that if a GP did not bulk bill every patient, they bulk billed none. A plan to boost the number of fully bulk-billing general practice clinics is likely to fall dramatically short of forecasts, a healthcare directory operator warns. Labor's $7.9 billion plan to expand the Bulk Billing Incentive Program to include non-concession patients projected the number of fully bulk-billing GP clinics to rise to 4800. But healthcare directory operator Cleanbill estimates the number of entirely bulk-billing clinics will rise by just 740 to 2081 because incentive payments will not cover consultation costs for certain clinics. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler slammed the report as inaccurate and fundamentally flawed. "This is a headline-grabbing phone poll conducted by a private company whose own website says their data is not 'reliable, accurate, complete or suitable'," Mr Butler said in a statement. "For the first time, Labor will expand bulk-billing incentives to all Australians and create an additional new incentive payment for practices that bulk bill every patient." From November 1, clinics that bulk bill every patient will receive a 12.5 per cent payment for each consultation, along with a conditional, variable payment depending on the clinic's remoteness. The report found it would only make sense for clinics to accept the Bulk Billing Incentive if their out-of-pocket costs were lower than the national average, or if they were more remote and attracted a higher incentive contribution. "The vast majority (72 per cent) of GP clinics are located in metro areas, where the New Total Medicare Payment is still $16 below the current average total cost of a non-bulk-billed standard consultation," the Cleanbill report said. It estimated the economic effect of the Bulk Billing Incentive expansion would need to be between 20 per cent and 30 per cent greater than the actual amount of the incentive payment for 4800 clinics to become fully bulk-billing as a result of the change. Patients whose clinics did not switch to fully bulk billing would face higher out-of-pocket costs in future, Cleanbill said. The federal health department said the report was based on a false assumption that if a GP did not bulk bill every patient, they bulk billed none.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Hepatitis C is curable. Why are Australians still dying from it?
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 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 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 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 for free, confidential information and support.
