Hepatitis

TORONTO – The average Canadian adult does not need to be screened for infection with hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus that can in time cause cirrhosis or cancer of the liver, says a task force that develops practice guidelines for primary-care providers. In its first hepatitis C screening guidelines released Monday, the Canadian Task Force

Tens of thousands of Canadian patients with mild versions of chronic hepatitis C could soon receive public funding for medications that cure the infection now that the provinces have sealed a deal with three pharmaceutical companies to reduce the cost of the ultra-expensive drugs. The pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), which negotiates prices on behalf of

Two of the world’s most predominant virologists are urging baby boomers to get tested for hepatitis C to better protect all Canadians. The viral infection can destroy the liver and can be fatal. It’s usually acquired through contact with blood, including through blood transfusions, IV drug use or contaminated needles. “This is very common,” Dr.

Injection drug users have long comprised the largest and, in many ways, most challenging population in the field of hepatitis C. They have historically been difficult to bring into care and prone to high-risk behaviors that lead to reinfection. Competing physical and mental health care priorities are increased in people who inject drugs (PWID), which