HEPATITIS C VIRUS ELIMINATION: AN ACHIEVABLE GOAL
“Louisiana and Washington, states with significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics, public health policies, and health rankings, provide models for screening, surveillance, treatment, and funding for other jurisdictions pursuing hepatitis C elimination by 2030.”
Changes to the Substance Use Disorder Confidentiality Regulation: Implications for Stakeholders
“Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule intended to implement a 2020 modification to the federal substance use disorder (SUD) privacy statute. The final rule more closely aligns the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulations under 42 CFR Part 2 with the regulatory requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule.”
Global Access to Hepatitis C Treatments
“A study published in The Lancet discusses access to reimbursement for direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is globally uneven, with low and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing notably lower rates of reimbursement compared to high-income nations. DAAs for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection offer high response rates (>95%) and have simplified HCV treatment management, allowing non-specialist healthcare providers to treat patients without advanced liver disease. To align with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) objectives for the elimination of HCV, it is essential to support countries, especially LMICs, in enhancing access to DAA reimbursement and eliminating barriers to reimbursement, with a particular focus on removing restrictions related to the type of prescriber to guarantee universal access.”
‘All hands on deck’: GIs should continue to be part of viral hepatitis care team
“Primary care providers and other specialists often refer patients to gastroenterologists with any liver-related health concerns, as they are the first touch point for newly diagnosed patients or those living with chronic liver disease.”
WHO’s guidance for the treatment of hemophilia sparks controversy
“In the 1970s and ’80s, treating my von Willebrand disease and hemophilia B often involved a regimen that included fresh frozen plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate. Cryoprecipitate, a blood component derived from frozen plasma, contains vital clotting factors such as fibrinogen, factor VIII, von Willebrand factor, and factor XIII.”
NYS Test4HepC Campaign to Promote Hepatitis C Screening During Pregnancy
“Universal hepatitis C screening among pregnant people was identified in the New York State Hepatitis C Elimination Plan as a priority for moving the state towards hepatitis C elimination by 2030. Effective May 3, 2024, New York State’s hepatitis C testing legislation will require all health care providers attending a pregnant person to screen for hepatitis C during each pregnancy and document the result prominently in the medical record at or before the time of hospital admission for delivery.”
