The Lancet: Transforming treatment for hepatitis C
Editorial Board

“…The new [WHO guidelines for the care and treatment of people with chronic hepatitis C infection] strongly recommend offering treatment to all people aged 12 years and older (except pregnant women) who have chronic hepatitis C infection, irrespective of disease stage. Treatment regimens that can cure all six major subtypes of hepatitis C infection are recommended, including the use of direct-acting antivirals, which have become available since 2016. These new ‘treat all’ guidelines remove the need for expensive genotyping to determine the best treatment for the specific strain of the virus, simplify treatment, and enable task shifting so that non-specialized health care workers can deliver care. … The continued price reduction of direct-acting antivirals means that rolling out treatment for all can be cost effective, while also reducing deaths, preventing liver cancer development, and reducing new infection rates. It is fair to say that the development and success of direct-acting antivirals is transforming hepatitis C treatment” (7/28).