At least 3.5 million Americans are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and approximately three-fourths of this group are “Baby Boomers” — people born between 1945 and 1965. Since hepatitis C disease usually has no symptoms early on, about half of those living with it are unaware. Thus, now that hepatitis C can easily be cured, Project Inform, which received $500,000 in funding from Quest Diagnostics to support their hepatitis C testing promotion efforts, is working to ensure that people who might be at risk for it are tested and treated.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends that all “baby-boomers (born between 1945 and 1965) get at least one hepatitis C test during their lifetime” without the need for a risk assessment or questions asked. However, physicians and other medical providers may not offer the test themselves, so it is important that patients ask for it because, per the last published data in 2014, less than 10% of people with HCV have been treated and cured. That number has likely improved since then, but there are still millions of Americans in need of treatment.
Among the activities Project Inform is carrying out with that support is the production of a series of videos — for patients and providers — to encourage testing of baby-boomers and others. The first video is now available in English and Spanish, and can be embedded and re-sized for inclusion on your website using these easy instructions.
Visit www.help4hep.org for more information.
