At a glance
After nearly a decade after effective treatment became available, many people diagnosed with hepatitis C have not been cured. This study provides insights into the major gaps in treatment that can inform focused public health interventions to achieve national hepatitis C elimination.
Dear Colleague
June 29, 2023
Dear Colleagues,
A new CDC report released today shows that nearly a decade after highly effective treatment became available, a high proportion of people diagnosed with hepatitis C still have not been cured. Findings from this study show that hepatitis C cure levels are low overall, with only 1 in 3 people who tested positive for current infection having evidence of viral clearance. Cure levels were even lower among people without health insurance or with Medicaid coverage, and among adults under the age of 40 – the group with the highest rates of new hepatitis C virus infections.
This study provides insights into the major gaps in treatment that can inform focused public health interventions to achieve national hepatitis C elimination. These findings provide additional evidence that we are not succeeding in reaching, testing, and curing the more than 2 million people with hepatitis C in the United States. The White House has requested substantial funding for a national hepatitis C elimination program to improve diagnosis and make access to life-saving medications easier, less costly, and available to every American who needs treatment. Such investments will save billions in healthcare spending within 10 years, and prevent tens of thousands of cases of cancer, diabetes, and kidney disease while saving thousands of lives. If this program is funded, CDC will support efforts to expand hepatitis C testing and linkage to care, develop innovative diagnostics and streamlined treatment management, and monitor progress toward national elimination goals.
We cannot wait another decade. Everyone with hepatitis C deserves the opportunity to be cured. To make elimination a reality, CDC will continue to work hand-in-hand with partners to ensure every person with hepatitis C is diagnosed and treated. Thank you for your continued commitment to ensuring that every person with hepatitis knows their status and can access life-saving treatment.
Sincerely,
/Carolyn Wester/
Carolyn Wester, MD
Director
Division of Viral Hepatitis
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/
/Jonathan Mermin/
Jonathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH
RADM and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
Director
National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Stay connected: @DrMerminCDC and Connections