England is “on the cusp” of becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, NHS officials said, after a decade of intensified testing and antiviral treatment. NHS England reported that more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated since 2015 and that the country has already exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark of treating 80% of known cases.
Testing drives case finding
Public-health initiatives aimed at identifying undiagnosed infections have been central to recent progress. Measures highlighted by NHS England include routine blood testing in accident and emergency departments, screening when people register with a GP, and distribution of free, at-home test kits. These approaches are intended to find infections in people who would otherwise remain unaware of their status; hepatitis C is often asymptomatic for years but can lead to serious liver disease if untreated.
“Hepatitis C can cause serious harm, including liver failure and cancer, yet many people live with it for years without knowing or having any symptoms at all until it’s too late,” NHS national medical director Professor Frankie Swords said.
The NHS statement also said deaths from hepatitis C have fallen by 36% over the last decade. Antiviral therapy is highly effective: a standard course of direct-acting antivirals taken for eight to 12 weeks cures more than 95% of people infected, according to the health service.
What progress means and what remains to be done
Global health leaders have set a target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public‑health threat by 2030. NHS England’s claim that the country has surpassed the WHO treatment benchmark positions England among a small number of nations making rapid progress. However, elimination requires not only high treatment rates but also sustained prevention, robust case-finding and systems to reach marginalised groups at greater risk of infection.
Public-health charities welcomed the announcement while urging continued effort to find remaining undiagnosed cases. The Hepatitis C Trust’s chief executive, Rachel Halford, described the progress as potentially “one of the most significant public health achievements in our country’s history,” while stressing the need to sustain momentum.
Where the cases have come from — and how they were found
- A&E screening: routine blood testing in emergency departments to catch incidental infections.
- GP registration tests: offering testing when patients register with a general practitioner.
- Home testing kits: free and confidential kits to reach people who may not engage with services.
These measures collectively aim to reduce barriers to diagnosis. The NHS urged people at higher risk to come forward for testing and to order free home-testing kits online where available.
| Metric | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| People diagnosed and treated since 2015 | 100,000+ |
| Reduction in hepatitis C deaths (10 years) | 36% |
| WHO treatment benchmark | 80% of known cases |
Evidence from clinical trials and observational studies — which underpin the widespread use of direct‑acting antivirals — supports the claim that short courses of treatment can achieve cure rates above 90%. While the NHS figures indicate substantial success in treating known cases, public-health experts caution that undiagnosed infections remain the principal obstacle to reaching elimination.
Elimination, as defined by international targets, requires both reducing incidence (new infections) and ensuring that nearly all people living with chronic infection are diagnosed and cured. That will demand ongoing investment in outreach, low‑threshold testing, harm‑reduction services for people who inject drugs and close collaboration between NHS services, public‑health teams and community organisations.
For individuals, the practical message is straightforward: hepatitis C is preventable and, if diagnosed, highly treatable. The NHS has said it remains committed to finding and treating everyone who needs support and to maintaining the initiatives that have produced the recent gains.
