The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Conference 2018

The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Monothematic Conference entitled “Striving towards the elimination of HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) infection” begins today in Berlin, Germany.

Although morbidity and mortality due to the HCV infection are still significant, simple and safe direct acting antiviral-based therapies for the HCV infection, with cure rates >95% are now available.

This is indeed one of the greatest medical advances in decades that has brought considerable optimism to people working in the field of viral hepatitis.

At the same time, however, the WHO has set an ambitious goal to eliminate HCV as a major public health threat by 2030. Between 2015 and 2030, the WHO targets include reducing new HCV infections by 80% and the number of HCV deaths by 65% and increasing HCV diagnoses to 90% and the number of eligible persons receiving treatment from to 80%. These targets are ambitious. In fact, it has become evident how access to care is still a formidable challenge globally, due to a variety of reasons:

• Inefficient screening strategies
• Poor retention in care
• Lack of awareness
• Inadequate commitment of policy makers
• Cost of medications

Thus, to achieve the WHO goals will require a combined effort of researchers, healthcare providers, policy makers, the pharmaceutical industries, and governments around the world.

The aim of this EASL Monothematic Conference is to bring together major stakeholders in the field of HCV to combine expertise of scientists, clinicians, regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical industry to understand the burden of HCV.

Central issues that will be addressed during this meeting include:

• The epidemiology and prevention of HCV infection
• Interventions to improve linkage of patients to HCV testing, care, and treatment
• Treatment of HCV infection
• Settings to facilitate HCV elimination
• How far are we from reaching the WHO targets of HCV elimination?
• The challenge of post-SVR management