Embargoed until 11:59 pm, 26 March
Ten years after the Federal Government made world-leading hepatitis C medicines available to all Australians through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), more than 110,000 people have been treated and almost 100,000 have been cured.
In marking this major milestone in the fight against hepatitis C, Hepatitis Australia is launching a new national telehealth service for people at risk of hepatitis C as part of HepLink, the national hepatitis information and linkage service.
This new hepatitis C telehealth service is an innovative telephone and virtual care service offering a new and easier way for people to access testing, treatment, and support. It is free to anyone anywhere in Australia; you don’t need a referral.
The landmark PBS listing of new-generation hepatitis C medicines on 1 March 2016 transformed hepatitis C treatment, introducing a short-course, highly effective cure that enabled nationwide access and has delivered extraordinary public health results.
Since then, over 110,000 Australians have commenced PBS subsidised hepatitis C treatment, with around 100,000 cured.
Hepatitis Australia CEO Lucy Clynes said the Federal Government’s decision to provide broad, free access to hepatitis C cures was one of the most significant public health reforms in a generation.
“A decade ago, hepatitis C treatment was long, difficult and out of reach for many people. The PBS listing absolutely changed everything.
“More than 100,000 Australians have now accessed treatment. Almost 100,000 people have been cured of a virus that can cause cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
“That is tens of thousands of lives changed, families spared enormous stress and a substantial reduction in future liver cancer and liver disease.
“The statistics illustrate the scale and success of Australia’s decision to fund hepatitis C cures through the PBS.”
Since the listing of the new generation of hepatitis C treatments in 2016:
- The number of people living with chronic hepatitis C in Australia fell by 61 per cent since 2015
- Prevalence of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs has dropped dramatically
- Deaths among Australians living with hepatitis C have fallen by around 22 per cent since 2016.
Critically, treatment has also shifted into primary care settings, with almost half of first treatments prescribed by GPs, making hepatitis C cures much more accessible in local communities across Australia.
“While this is an important milestone, an estimated 63,000 Australians are still living with chronic hepatitis C, and many are unaware that they have it.
“Hepatitis Australia and its partner organisations continue to roll out new and innovative ways to deliver hepatitis C care to those who need it”, Ms Clynes said.
Gracey, who has lived experience of hepatitis C and now dedicates her time to supporting others, spoke about the challenges of living with the virus and the life-changing impact of the cure.
“When I was first diagnosed, I was very worried. I thought hepatitis C would take ten years off my life, and I was nervous about telling people because of the stigma around it.
“At the time, I had heard about the old hepatitis C treatments that they made you very ill and wouldn't necessarily work.
“But I read about a new hepatitis C treatment that was coming out, and I was keen to try that. It was simply a course of tablets for twelve weeks, and I started feeling clearer and more energetic even before I finished. The current treatment is a cure."
“You do not always realise how much the virus is affecting you until it's gone. Once I was cured, I felt healthier, clearer and relieved that I no longer had to carry that worry.
“And not having to carry the stigma anymore was incredibly freeing. Not having to worry about explaining it to people and feeling like you are different, diseased even.
“A lot of people live with hepatitis C for years without knowing it because it often does not make you feel sick straight away. It can take a very long time, 20+ years, before the symptoms begin.
“The good news is that testing and treatment are easier than ever. If there is even a small chance you were exposed in the past, get tested, because hepatitis C is now easily curable.
“I decided to advocate for people with lived experience of hepatitis C because I remember how much judgment and frustration I experienced when I was diagnosed.
“I want people to know how easy the hepatitis C cure is now, that there is support available and that getting treated has minimal side effects. I am living proof that the cure works.”
Hepatitis NSW CEO Steven Drew said that while incredible progress had been made, there was still much more work to be done.
“Elimination by 2030 is still within reach. But to achieve that goal, we need to find the people who remain undiagnosed or disconnected from care.
“Since an initial surge after 2016, treatment rates have slowed in recent years, and reinfection remains a challenge in some communities.
“Hepatitis NSW is marking the 10th anniversary with an event to celebrate the PBS approval of the groundbreaking hepatitis cure and preview a new social media initiative to reinvigorate the push to elimination by 2030, featuring people with lived experience of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment, PBS listing advocates and community champions.”
To help close that gap, Hepatitis Australia today announced the national rollout of the HepLink hepatitis C Telehealth Service, a new telephone and virtual care service designed to make testing, treatment and support easier than ever.
Chris Wallis, a nurse practitioner with more than 18 years’ experience now working with HepLink, said the new service is focused on making treatment even easier to access.
“Many Australians are simply unaware that they have contracted hepatitis C or that a straightforward cure now exists. Others live a long way from specialist services and assume treatment will be complicated to access.
“If there is even a small chance you could have been exposed years ago through injecting drug use, a tattoo, or a medical procedure overseas, my message is simple.
“Get tested. Testing is the most powerful tool we have to eliminate hepatitis C.
“In my experience, today’s hepatitis C treatments are fast and highly effective. Most people simply take tablets once a day for eight to twelve weeks, experience few or no side effects and more than 95 per cent are cured.
“I have had patients tell me they had absolutely no idea how unwell they felt until the virus was gone. Once cured, they could not believe how healthy and clear they actually felt.”
Anyone in Australia can call 1800 437 222 or visit heplink.au to speak confidentially with a HepLink Nurse Navigator.
The service provides:
- Clear information about hepatitis C testing
- Support to arrange blood tests
- Virtual clinical consultations where needed
- Rapid access to prescriptions for curative treatment
- For more information, visit https://www.heplink.au/
HepLink is the national hepatitis information and linkage service operated by Hepatitis Australia in partnership with community hepatitis organisations nationally. HepLink is funded by the Australian Government Centre for Disease Control.
The HepLink telehealth service is made possible through a community grant from Gilead Sciences Australia.
Contact details:
Darren Rodrigo 0414 783 405 or [email protected]
