HepNetTBay

Thanks for the question hubb412 - Hep C is cured with medication that is far less problematic than interferon. Treatment is usually one pill a day, normally the treatment duration is either 8, 12, or 24 weeks. Not only is current treatment less problematic, the cure rate is much higher than interferon. If you have had treatment in the past that has failed to clear Hep C, you can get resistance testing and still be eligible for other treatment options.

Most of the misconceptions we see are around how it's transmitted. It can only be transmitted through blood, but people are often worried about things like spit or sexual fluids, or things that are considered "casual contact", which pose no risk at all.

There's also still a lot of people who aren't aware it can be cured, and that the treatments are much easier than they used to be.

Short answer yes. Studies show that treatment is still just as effective if individuals are still active in their substance use. Treatment should include some case management supports to improve medication adherence for individuals who have other complex needs besides their hep c status. Long answer, stigma is still a significant barrier for individuals who are active in their substance use to access equitable health care services.

Thanks for the question pygmygiraffes. Because Hep C has significant variability, finding a vaccine that would continue to work over time and address the variability of the hep c virus is difficult. However, there are clinical trials ongoing to find an effective vaccine. Up until recently, it was believed that there were only 6 genomes of the hep c virus, however, two more have just recently been identified.

A high percentage of baby boomers were exposed to unscreened blood transfusions prior to 1992 and therefore were potentially exposed to hepatitis C contaminated blood and organs