Here’s what you should know:
1. In addition to the multiple approved treatments, the government committed $796.88 million to fighting hepatitis C.
2. Since March 2016, approximately 40,000 Australians received treatment for hepatitis C. Around 95 percent of those patients were cured. The Kirby Institute estimates Australia will eliminate hepatitis C by 2026, which is four years ahead of a World Health Organization goal to do so.
3. The Conversation reports a large number of Australians are diagnosed with hepatitis C. From 1982 to 2013, liver cancer rates increased five-fold. In 2011 through 2012, nearly 1,500 Australians died from liver cancer, with that number expected to double in the coming decade.
4. The Australian government has been successful with its hepatitis C efforts because it provides unrestricted access to treatments. All adults with hepatitis C are eligible for treatment.
Many countries have denied treatment access to individuals with substance abuse issues. The Australian government is providing unrestricted access to hepatitis C because of its low drug costs. For example, the government pays 10 times less per patient than what the German government pays for the same treatments.
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