AIDS specialist advocates sweeping approach to battle against hepatitis C

published on March 25, 2015 by Erin Ellis, in The Vancouver Sun

But B.C. health minister says that would cost billions

Could hepatitis C be the next communicable disease to come under a targeted attack in B.C.?

It will be if HIV/AIDS expert Dr. Julio Montaner has his way.

Montaner said Tuesday that even if the virus is eradicated among baby boomers, that won’t stop its continued spread.

“You can treat 100 per cent of baby boomers and you’re going to do a lot of good for them, but you will have trivial, if any, impact on the ongoing epidemic,” said Montaner.

That’s because baby boomers aren’t “core transmitters” of hepatitis C. Instead, virtually all new cases are among drug users who share needles, methamphetamine pipes and straws for snorting powders. It can also be transmitted through sexual contact if blood is present.

The work of Montaner and B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS has gained attention from around the world for reducing the number of AIDS cases in the province to 84 from 696 between 1994 and 2013. But their approach might not translate as effectively to hepatitis C.

Patients with HIV and AIDs must stay on treatment for the rest of their lives, thereby helping to prevent reinfection if they come in contact with the virus again, says Montaner. In the case of hepatitis C, people can be cured, but infected again if they continue to share needles, for instance.

Health Minister Terry Lake says the province has been listening to Montaner and others promote a formal push against hepatitis C, but isn’t convinced it’s the right choice.

“We certainly see the potential for a seek-and-treat-type program for hepatitis C. But if we were to seek and treat everyone in British Columbia with hepatitis C, we’d be looking at billions of dollars so we have to be very thoughtful about how to approach this.”

Between 15 and 30 per cent of hepatitis C carriers develop liver disease, while many have few or no symptoms.

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Julio Montaner

BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

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AIDS specialist advocates sweeping approach to battle against hepatitis C

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