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.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said the NHS is “leading the world” in the drive to save lives and eliminate Hep C while also tackling a “significant” health inequality.
He said: “Thanks to targeted screening and because the NHS has a proven track record of striking medicine agreements that give patients access to the latest drugs, we are on track to beat global targets and become the first country to eliminate Hep C by 2030 – which will be a landmark achievement.”
St Mungo’s is one of the charities delivering the Find And Treat outreach programmes, which sees specialist teams provide same-day screenings and support to complete a full course of treatment.
Sara Hide, a Hepatitis C co-ordinator at St Mungo’s in Oxford, said: “With treatment for Hepatitis C now less invasive – a course of medication for eight to 12 weeks – we’ve seen an uptake in people responding to our screening services.
“We also screen for other conditions at the same time to identify clients that might need extra health support.”
Homeless people are at higher risk of contracting Hep C, sometimes due to substance use but also down to sharing things like toothbrushes and razors.
Hepatitis C usually displays no symptoms until it causes enough damage to bring on liver disease. It can also lead to cancer.
Symptoms may include fatigue and difficulty concentrating and the virus is also linked to cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, kidney disease and musculoskeletal pain.
Within six years, the number of people seeking liver transplants due to the virus has fallen by two-thirds.
In 2020 the number of annual registrations for a liver transplant in patients with related diseases reduced from more than 140 per year to less than 50 per year.
This figure is expected to be even lower in 2022 and the NHS is now on track to eliminate Hepatitis C five years before the WHO’s overall 2030 target.
The project has also provided 80% of its treatments to people from communities in the poorest half of the population.
