60% Rise In Deaths From Liver Disease In Last Decade: Hepatitis C Is An Increasing Contributor

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60% Rise In Deaths From Liver Disease In Last Decade: Hepatitis C Is An Increasing Contributor

Huge variations in hepatitis C services in hospitals across the country are revealed in a new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group and The Hepatitis C Trust. In The Dark found widely differing policies on who should receive treatment and the level of specialist support and care available. Hepatitis C is a preventable and treatable blood-borne virus. It is estimated that between 250,000 and 466,000 people in the UK are infected but most do not realise they carry the virus. If untreated it can lead to cancer and deaths from hepatitis C have doubled in the last decade as a result of low diagnosis and treatment rates. Hepatitis C is now a significant contributor to growing numbers of deaths from liver disease.

The MPs' report uncovers alarming national and regional liver mortality statistics: deaths from liver disease and liver cancer increased from 6,058 to 9,719 per year between 1997 and 2008 (a 60% increase). The East Midlands saw the highest rate of increase (87%) over this period - from 440 to 824. London saw the lowest rate of increase (23%) from 968 to 1,190. This is in stark contrast to the rest of Western Europe where deaths from liver disease have been falling for years. The report follows new international statistics from Professor Sir Mike s showing that the UK's use of hepatitis C drugs is the second lowest out of 14 comparable countries (Extent and causes of international variations in drug usage, 27 July 2010). Commenting on the findings of the report, Amess MP, Chair of the All-Party

Parliamentary Hepatology Group, said: "There is effective treatment available for hepatitis C so there is absolutely no excuse for the death toll to continue rising. The staggering increase in deaths from liver disease and liver cancer show just how vital it is that the national liver strategy is developed as a matter of urgency. "This hospital audit has revealed huge variations in treatment policies and care available to patients. For example, 11 hospitals do not have a specialist nurse to support patients through treatment and many hospitals have created policies on who they will treat that is contrary to NICE guidance. "On top of that, we found a serious gap in the basic monitoring of hepatitis C services across the country which is hampering local and national planning." Gore, Chief Executive of The Hepatitis C Trust, added: "Hepatitis C is a soluble problem in contrast to many areas of healthcare. It

could be all but eradicated in this country in the next 30 or so years if the Government commits to a strategy for diagnosing all patients, preventing further transmissions and ensuring high quality care and treatment for all." ENDS

Notes 1. In The Dark, is based on the findings of a national audit of hepatitis C hospital services conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Hepatology Group and The Hepatitis C Trust. It presents data from 69 hospitals delivering hepatitis C services in England. Table of deaths from liver disease and liver cancer in Parliamentary constituencies in England:see here. Extent and causes of international variations in drug usage: a report for the Secretary of State for Health by Professor Sir Mike s CBE (27 July 2010): see here. 2. About hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that predominantly infects the cells of the

liver. If left untreated, the virus can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. There is no vaccine but early treatment can successfully clear the virus in around half of patients and ongoing infection can be managed. The Health Protection Agency estimate that there are around 250,000 hepatitis C positive people in the UK although some estimates put this number as high as 466,000. Only around 70,000 people in England and Wales have been diagnosed. 110 deaths from hepatitis C were reported in 1997 and over 230 were reported in 2008. However, there is widespread under-reporting of hepatitis C deaths because very often people present when they have very late end stage liver disease so they are simply recorded in the hospital as having cirrhosis or liver cancer as the cause of death (rather than hepatitis C which caused the

cirrhosis / liver cancer). Risk factors: - Receiving a blood transfusion / organ transplantation prior to 1991 or blood products pre-1986 - Current IV drug use / past IV drug use (including steroids, even once and sharing any injecting equipment) - Current sniffing cocaine / past sniffing cocaine (sharing pipes, notes or straws with a person who is known to have hepatitis C or may have been at risk) - Blood transfusions or medical surgery in a developing country - Tattoos / piercings/ acupuncture (in unregistered premises or with possibly unsterile equipment or with needles that were not new) - Regularly shared razors or toothbrushes (with a person who is known to have hepatitis C or may have been at risk) 3. Famous people with hepatitis C: Dame Anita Roddick, Pamela , Cole, nne Faithfull, Kiedis, Ginsburg, Steve Tyler. Source: Hepatitis C

Trust

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