OHIO — New data released this week by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed a trend concerning patients with a deadly but curable infection: hepatitis C.
What You Need To Know
- Less than one-third of people diagnosed with hepatitis C receive timely treatment for the curable infection, according to new data from the CDC
- The CDC said most people become infected with hepatitis C by sharing needles or other injection drug equipment
- According to the CDC, hepatitis C is curable with oral medication
- If left untreated, the infection cause liver disease, liver cancer and death
Less than one-third of people diagnosed with hepatitis C receive timely treatment for the curable infection, according to new data from the CDC.
The CDC said most people become infected with hepatitis C by sharing needles or other injection drug equipment and nearly a decade after a cure was approved, large gaps in treatment continue.
The CDC reported more than 14,000 people in the United States died from hepatitis C in 2019.
In some states, sobriety is required for hepatitis C treatment, but that is no longer the case in Ohio. That barrier was lifted in 2020.
CDC data showed the number of patients receiving care is low no matter what type of insurance they have, whether it’s Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance.
Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C is lowest among those with Medicaid, with only 23% of patients being treated within a year of diagnosis.
In recent years, the CDC has found the highest rates of new infection are among adults under 40, but people in that age group have the lowest treatment rates.
According to the CDC, hepatitis C is curable with oral medication. If left untreated, the infection cause liver disease, liver cancer and death.
“Hepatitis C is a slow virus, so it stays in the body for about 20 years without causing any symptoms. But the first symptoms may be liver failure or liver cancer. So, it’s very important for people, even if you don’t have any symptoms, to get tested and to get treatment. Treatment is simple. It’s effective. It’s without side effects. Even if they don’t have insurance, there are many assistance programs who can help,” said Dr. Omar Massoud. He’s the Chief of Hepatology at the Cleveland Clinic Digestive Disease & Surgery Institute.
The CDC recommends everyone get tested at least once and those with ongoing risk factors receive routine hepatitis C testing.
To find free hepatitis C testing, visit gettested.cdc.gov.
