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Tag: Hepatitis C treatment

 

Uncovering gaps in hepatitis B and C services for immigrants and newcomers: A new report from Action Hepatitis Canada

 May 22, 2024 •  By Jennifer van Gennip

Immigrants and newcomers make up almost a quarter of Canada’s population, contributing enormously to the social, cultural, and economic vitality of our country. To ensure Canada upholds its commitment to the well-being of newcomers and the strength of our diverse communities, it’s essential to prioritize equitable access to healthcare. This not only safeguards the individual health and dignity of newcomers but also nurtures the resilience and prosperity of our society as a whole. Ensuring equitable healthcare means acknowledging that immigrants may have distinct needs due to cultural and linguistic barriers or other social determinants of health. They may also be...

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Tackling misconceptions: Hepatitis C treatment for people who use drugs

 April 22, 2024 •  By Romane Close

With the advent of treatments called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), a huge number of people across Canada have been successfully cured of hepatitis C. However, efforts to cure some of the most affected communities continue to be hindered by incorrect or outdated information. For example, many successes in curing hepatitis C have been achieved through the determination of people who use drugs, and yet they still encounter access barriers due to discrimination and problematic misconceptions around treatment eligibility. These gaps in knowledge can be addressed by raising awareness about hepatitis C treatment and organizations across Canada have been working to clarify...

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Busting common myths about hepatitis C treatment in Canada

 March 19, 2024 •  By Sofia Bartlett

Highly effective medications that can cure hepatitis C infection, called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), have been approved for use in Canada for people over the age of 18 since 2014. These medications are well-tolerated, nearly 100% effective, and have treatment durations of just eight or 12 weeks. DAAs have simplified hepatitis C treatment considerably, allowing treatments to be prescribed by primary care providers, such as nurse practitioners and family doctors. Now that the treatment itself is so simple, getting coverage for reimbursement of DAAs is the most complicated and challenging aspect of treating hepatitis C infection in Canada. Almost 90% of...

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Treating hepatitis C in children: How does it work?

 July 4, 2023 •  By Dr. Fernando Alvarez

Did you know that hepatitis C is a liver infection that can be cured within eight to 12 weeks thanks to treatments that are nearly 100% effective? Called direct-acting antivirals, these treatments were first designed for people over the age of 18, but treatment options for people under the age of 18 have also been developed in recent years. This includes a treatment approved in Canada for children aged three years and older, which is a game changer in the pediatric context. Romane Close, CATIE’s specialist for resource development and knowledge mobilization, had the chance to speak with Dr. Fernando Alvarez,...

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New Canadian hepatitis C estimates tell us how far we’ve come (and how far we have to go)

 July 4, 2023 •  By Melisa Dickie and Shannon Elliot

Canada has joined countries around the world in committing to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. However, how do we know if we’re on track to reach that goal and how do we measure our progress along the way?   Fortunately, the World Health Organization established targets in its Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which have been adapted to the Canadian context by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). These targets lay out a path to elimination with concrete objectives, that include a 90% reduction in new hepatitis C infections by 2030, as...

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