Public health data reveals an estimated 162,500 individuals living with chronic hepatitis C in the United Kingdom, underscoring the substantial disease burden that prompted establishment of the National Hepatitis C Register. This newly implemented surveillance system will comprehensively track this patient population and monitor infection patterns across England.
The register represents a critical infrastructure investment for understanding epidemiological trends and optimizing clinical care pathways. By systematically collecting clinical and demographic data from diagnosed patients, health authorities can identify populations at higher risk, evaluate treatment accessibility, and measure progress toward disease elimination targets.
This data collection framework is particularly timely given the transformative impact of direct-acting antiviral therapies on hepatitis C outcomes. Comprehensive surveillance enables clinicians and public health officials to ensure equitable access to curative treatments and to validate that the UK is on track to meet the WHO’s ambitious goal of reducing chronic infections and hepatitis C-related mortality by 2030.
Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
Was this article helpful?
