6th Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus: Delivering a cure for hepatitis C infection-What are the remaining gaps?

Abstract

Estimates are that more than 250,000 people in Canada are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and many more are unaware of their infection status. If untreated, chronic HCV infection can lead to cirrhosis and subsequent complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma. The Canadian Network on Hepatitis C, supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has been committed to the scientific study of chronic hepatitis C and to supporting the advocacy work to improve diagnosis and access to HCV care in Canada. Although the treatment of HCV infection has been greatly advanced with direct-acting antivirals, with cure rates as high as 95%, many challenges remain in the implementation of HCV care. These issues include the lack of an effective vaccine, infection screening, treatment failure or resistance, post-cure health issues, limitations of treatment access despite increased provincial subsidization, complex needs of at-risk populations (ie, injection drug users, societal obstacles). At the 6th Canadian Symposium on HCV in March 2017, the theme "Delivering a Cure for Hepatitis C Infection: What Are the Remaining Gaps?" provided a framework in which basic scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, social scientists, and community members interested in HCV research in Canada could showcase how they are working to address these ongoing challenges.