§ Lord Reaasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of estimates that 200,000 or more people in the United Kingdom may be infected with hepatitis C, whether they are developing a national strategy for this condition; what is their estimate of the current level of the hepatitis C epidemic in the United Kingdom; and what projections exist for its future course; and [HL3889]
What is the current effectiveness and availability of treatment for hepatitis C through the National Health Service. (HL3891)
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Government's health strategy for England is an action plan to improve health and is set out in the White PaperSaving Lives: Our Healthier Nation. As part of this, hepatitis C initiatives may be taken forward under the umbrella of wider action on public health.
Studies suggest that the prevalence (current level) of chronic carriage of hepatitis C may be around 0.5 per cent of the general population in the United Kingdom. The incidence (new infection) of hepatitis C is not known, as the virus is usually acquired without symptoms. There is likely to be an increase in the diagnosis of hepatitis C in the next 10 years as individuals who have carried the virus for some time are identified through wider testing of groups who have been at risk.
18WATwo drug treatments for hepatitis C are currently licensed; monotherapy with alpha interferon and combination therapy with alpha interferon plus ribavirin. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is considering the use of combination therapy to treat hepatitis C, and will issue recommendations on its clinical and cost effectiveness shortly.
Evidence-based clinical guidelines on the management of people infected with hepatitis C are being developed by a group from the British Society of Gastroenterology, the British Institute for the Study of the Liver and the Royal College of Physicians. The authoritative guidance provided by NICE and by the guidelines will ensure that combination therapy is provided consistently throughout the National Health Service, and that the most effective treatment is delivered.
In addition, the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme is funding a £1.1 million multi-centre, clinical trial into the potential health benefits of treating mild disease.