England Moves Closer to Eliminating Hepatitis C

A major public health milestone is within reach as England reports strong progress in diagnosing and treating hepatitis C, while health officials continue efforts to find people who remain unaware they carry the virus.

England is moving closer to an important public health goal: eliminating hepatitis C as a major health threat.

New figures show that significant progress has been made in recent years. More than 100,000 people in England have been diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C since 2015, while deaths linked to the virus have fallen substantially over the past decade.

The progress is particularly notable because hepatitis C can remain hidden for many years. People can live with the infection without experiencing obvious symptoms, allowing liver damage to develop silently.

Health officials now want to maintain the momentum and reach people who may still be living with the virus without knowing it.

What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that primarily affects the liver. It is transmitted through contact with infected blood.

One of the most recognised routes of transmission is sharing needles or other equipment that may contain traces of infected blood. Historically, some people were also exposed through contaminated medical procedures and blood products.

Blood donated in the UK is now screened for hepatitis C, significantly reducing the risk of transmission through the blood supply.

The difficulty is that infection is not always obvious. Someone can have hepatitis C for years without feeling unwell.

If the infection remains untreated, it can cause progressive liver damage. In some people, this can eventually lead to serious complications, including cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.

That is why finding the infection early is so important.

Treatment can cure most cases

One of the reasons health authorities are increasingly optimistic about eliminating hepatitis C is the effectiveness of modern treatment.

Direct-acting antiviral medicines are taken as tablets, generally over a relatively short period. According to the information supplied by NHS England, treatment lasting around eight to 12 weeks can cure more than 95% of infections.

This represents a major change from earlier approaches to hepatitis C treatment, which could be more difficult to tolerate and were less effective.

The combination of highly effective medicines and improved testing has given public health programmes a realistic opportunity to reduce hepatitis C to very low levels.

England has already reached the target of treating 80% of known cases. However, there is still work to do because some people have not yet been diagnosed.

Finding people who do not know they are infected

Testing is at the heart of the next stage of the campaign.

According to figures for 2024, an estimated 50,200 adults were living with hepatitis C in England. Around 84.6% were thought to have been diagnosed.

That means a proportion of people may still be carrying the virus without knowing it.

Different approaches have therefore been introduced to make testing easier. These include blood tests offered in accident and emergency departments, testing linked to GP registration and free home-testing services.

The idea is simple: if people can discover an infection without having to navigate a complicated healthcare process, more cases can be identified and treated.

The NHS also provides confidential home-testing options for people who may be at increased risk.

Why some people are being encouraged to test

Health authorities are particularly encouraging certain groups to consider testing.

Adults born in countries including Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia and Slovakia have been highlighted because some people from these countries may have been exposed to hepatitis C through medical or dental procedures before 1991.

This does not mean that everyone born in these countries has hepatitis C. Rather, it reflects historical differences in healthcare practices and infection-control standards.

For people who may have been exposed decades ago, testing can provide an answer even if they have never experienced symptoms.

That is important because hepatitis C is not necessarily associated with feeling ill in its early stages.

A significant reduction in deaths

Treatment is not only about stopping transmission. It can also prevent serious illness and save lives.

The figures supplied for England show that deaths associated with hepatitis C have fallen by 36% over the past decade.

The country's longer-term goal is a 65% reduction in hepatitis C-related mortality compared with 2015 levels.

That target has not yet been reached, but health officials believe it could be achieved before the World Health Organization's 2030 deadline.

Reaching the target will depend on continuing to diagnose people, ensuring they receive treatment and supporting those who need ongoing medical care.

Lessons from the infected blood scandal

The story of hepatitis C in Britain also has a painful historical dimension.

Between 1970 and 1991, more than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products and transfusions.

The resulting infected blood scandal has been described as one of the most serious treatment disasters in the history of the NHS.

Thousands of people have died since being infected, and the consequences have affected families and communities for decades.

The history is a reminder that infectious diseases can have consequences long after the original exposure. It also highlights why safe blood supplies, effective screening and transparent healthcare systems are so important.

What happens next?

England's progress is encouraging, but elimination does not mean that hepatitis C disappears overnight.

There will still be people who have not been diagnosed, people who require treatment and a need to prevent new infections.

Public health teams therefore face the challenge of reaching people who may not consider themselves at risk.

For individuals, one of the most important steps is simply being aware that hepatitis C can exist without noticeable symptoms.

A person does not necessarily need to feel unwell to benefit from testing.

The availability of confidential home-testing services could make that process easier for people who are reluctant to visit a GP or discuss their medical history in person.

A public health milestone within reach

England's progress against hepatitis C demonstrates what can happen when effective medicines are combined with widespread testing and targeted public health programmes.

More than 100,000 people have already been diagnosed and treated since 2015, and mortality has fallen considerably. The country has also met its treatment target for known infections.

The remaining challenge is to find those who have not yet been diagnosed and make sure they can access treatment.

If that work continues successfully, England could become one of the first countries to achieve hepatitis C elimination as a major public health problem.

For a virus that can remain hidden for years but is now highly treatable, early testing could make an enormous difference.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. If you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C or have concerns about your health, speak with an appropriate healthcare provider or use an official NHS testing service. Always rely on current guidance from the NHS and other recognised public health authorities for medical decisions.