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NHS England calls on pharma industry to help them eliminate hepatitis C

NHS England has called on the pharma industry to work with them on an ambitious plan to eliminate hepatitis C throughout the country five years earlier than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) goal of 2030.

Hepatitis C is a global public health issue which currently accounts for around 400,000 deaths per year worldwide. Within England it affects 160,000 people, according recent figures as reported by NHS England.

Investments into new treatments has been a continuous task for NHS England but now doctors, patient groups and NHS leaders believe elimination of this disease is possible and has requested that pharma companies work with them to provide best value for money treatments to be able to achieve this potential.

The next round of procurement by NHS England is being launched this month (February) and is set to be the largest medicines procurement ever performed by the health service. It is hoped that through these medicines more patients will be cured from the disease by as early as October. More than 25,000 patients have been treated already with this figure expected to rise by another 5,000 before the end of the year with the most sick patients being prioritised for treatment.

The new agreements between NHS England and pharma companies will involve collaboration so that more people living with hepatitis C are identified and treated. It is anticipated that by using this approach, in addition to continued investment by the NHS, the disease could be eliminated more quickly.

“The progress made in the treatment of Hepatitis C has transformed the lives of many of my patients and has been made possible by NHS England working closely with industry to bring prices down and expand treatment options,” highlighted Professor Graham Foster, national clinical chair for hepatitis C, NHS England. “Yet we have the opportunity to do so much more. Over the last seven decades, the NHS has been at the forefront of medical innovation — to be able to commit to a world first in the year of the NHS’ 70th anniversary would be another remarkable and truly historic achievement.”

“The NHS has made major headway in the last three years in the treatment of hepatitis C, which has enabled a once in a generation opportunity to eliminate a major disease,” commented Peter Huskinson, national commercial director, NHS England. “With the right response from pharma companies in the coming months, we can strike the most competitive deal possible — improving the future for patients with Hep C alongside securing the best value for money for taxpayers.”

“This is wonderful news. It is exactly what is needed. The proposed deal will galvanise the action we must take to find all those living with Hepatitis C who have not yet been diagnosed so that we can cure them,” stated Charles Gore, CEO of The Hepatitis C Trust, the national hepatitis C charity. “It will prevent the liver cancer that hepatitis C causes. It will save lives. In the current environment we applaud NHS England’s ambition to be a world leader.”

Judi Rhys, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, added: “We are delighted that NHS England are playing a leading role in tackling hepatitis C and eliminating this deadly virus. A key challenge will be the fact that hep C often has no symptoms in the early stages and it is thought that less than half of those living with the virus have been diagnosed. It is therefore vital that anyone who is at risk asks to be tested.”

In England, the number of patients receiving new oral treatments for hep C are increasing year-on-year, which has been made possible through deals struck with industry. These deals include ‘pay per cure’ where the NHS only pays once a patient is cured.

NHS England reports that further progress to date in the treatment of hepatitis C includes:

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