Hepatitis C on course to disappear from England by 2025
The blood-borne virus Hepatitis C that can cause liver cancer will likely be wiped out in England in just over two years, health chiefs have said, thanks in part to a scheme to treat the homeless.
NHS England said a pioneering drug deal and a campaign to find highly vulnerable people have together cured 70,000 people and dramatically reduced deaths five years ahead of global targets.
A five-year contract worth almost £1bn has brought antiviral drugs to thousands of patients suffering from the potentially fatal disease.
Alongside the drug programme, dedicated “Find And Treat” programmes have tracked down vulnerable people, including the homeless.
Those sleeping rough tend to suffer worse from health problems because they lack regular contact with health services.
Deaths from Hep C – including liver disease and cancer – have fallen by 35%, above the 10% target set by the World Health Organisation.
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