100,000 people receive treatment to cure deadly hep C virus on NHS in just ten years

Over 100,000 people in England have accessed potentially life-saving treatment for hepatitis C in the last decade as part of a groundbreaking NHS programme, new figures show.

NHS data shows that since the roll-out of pioneering antiviral drugs in 2015, over 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated for Hep C, with England on track to be one of the first countries in the world to eliminate the virus.

Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver and if left untreated, can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening liver damage. It often does not have any noticeable symptoms until the liver has already been significantly damaged, meaning many people have the infection without realising it.

Treatment involves a free course of antiviral tablets lasting 8 to 12 weeks, which cures more than 95% of cases.

The figures come as the NHS urges those at greater risk of having undiagnosed hepatitis C – including those who have moved to England from certain Eastern European countries, those who have had a tattoo abroad, or those who use or have previously used injectable drugs – to order a free and confidential home-testing kit online to help rule the virus out.

Adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia or Slovakia are particularly urged to test, as many could have been potentially infected through medical or dental procedures before 1991, when modern sterilisation standards were introduced.

Once a life-limiting diagnosis, hepatitis C is now a curable condition and effective treatment is estimated to reduce the number of people needing liver transplants by 80% over the next decade, while cutting cases of liver cancer and cirrhosis.

England is one of handful of countries globally to have already exceeded the WHO benchmark of treating 80% of all known cases, with deaths from the virus being reduced by 36% in the last ten years.

The NHS has ramped up testing in the last five years, launching a first-of-its kind programme to test patients having a blood test in many A&Es, which has found 1,900 previously undiagnosed cases since 2022 – alongside asking all new patients registering at GP practices if they had a blood transfusion before 1996 to find any undiagnosed patients affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

The treatment drive offering curative treatment to over 100,000 people has been made possible by a landmark deal struck by the NHS in 2019 with pharmaceutical companies Gilead Sciences, MSD and AbbVie, bringing cutting-edge cures to patients at a huge scale.

The free NHS home testing portal at hepctest.nhs.uk offers a confidential route to test without needing to speak to a GP. Running for over three years, it is designed to reach people not already in contact with drug and alcohol services, sexual health services or A&E – including those who may have been exposed to contaminated blood and do not wish to disclose that history to their doctor.

Professor Frankie Swords, NHS national medical director, said: “Hepatitis C can cause serious harm, including liver failure and cancer, yet many people live with it for years without knowing or having any symptoms at all until it’s too late.

“That’s why the NHS has worked hard alongside public health teams and charities to find and treat hidden cases, and it’s really encouraging that over 100,000 people have now received potentially life-saving treatment in just a decade.

“England is now leading the world in the mission to eliminate this disease and on course to beat the WHO’s 2030 target, but we are determined to keep up the momentum and finish the job.

“With hepatitis C curable in more than nine out of ten cases, we are committed to finding and treating everyone who needs support and would urge those at greater risk to come forward by ordering a free and confidential home-testing kit online.”

Paul Eatwell, 65, was one of the more than 100,000 who have been treated for hepatitis C after he tested positive for the virus.

Routine liver function tests after switching GP practices flagged an abnormality, prompting his new doctor to order a hepatitis C test that detected it.

The grandad from Blackburn, Lancashire, said: “They repeated blood tests and included hepatitis C screening. I remember thinking, ‘Go ahead – I can’t imagine how I could possibly have hepatitis C, but if you’re checking everything, then check everything.

“A few days later, my GP phoned to tell me I’d tested positive for hepatitis C.

“My first reaction was disbelief. I remember saying, ‘Are you sure? Surely there’s been some mistake’.

“I didn’t feel ill. I kept wondering how I could possibly have caught it? When might it have happened? Could I have passed it on to someone else? Had someone passed it on to me?’

“The support from the specialist team made a huge difference. They answered every question, reassured me, helped me understand the possible risk factors and when I might have been infected, and encouraged me not to dwell on guilt.”

It was never clear how and where he contracted it, although risk factors were identified including surgery in South Africa decades ago.

Paul said: “Their message was simple: don’t spend your time worrying about how you got it – focus on getting rid of it.”

He added: “If you think you may be at risk, why wouldn’t you have the test? It gives you peace of mind.

“Treatment today isn’t life-changing in the way people might imagine. It’s no longer chemotherapy or lengthy hospital treatment – it’s one tablet a day for 12 weeks and a few blood tests.

“The alternative is to ignore it, potentially develop serious liver disease, or unknowingly pass the virus on to someone else.”

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper MP, said: “When I was first appointed as a health minister in 1999, thousands of people were being diagnosed with hepatitis C each year, and the infection was contributing to hundreds of deaths.

“Today, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our NHS, public health teams and partners, it is curable in the vast majority of cases, and we are leading the world in wiping out this disease for good.

“This is exactly the kind of preventative, forward-looking healthcare that we want the NHS to deliver across the board – catching illness earlier, easing pressure on hospitals, and giving people the chance to live longer, healthier lives.”

Dr Sema Mandal, Deputy Director, Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STIs and HIV Division at UK Health Security Agency, said: “We are making significant progress towards eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat.

“The sharp fall in cases since 2015 shows the impact of expanded testing and sustained access to modern curative treatments, and the commitment of health services and community partners across England.

“Treating over 100,000 people in just ten years is a remarkable achievement and brings England closer than ever to becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate this disease as a public health threat.

“While the number of people living with the virus continues to decline, it remains vital that those most at risk are offered testing, can access life-saving treatments, and receive the support needed, such as harm reduction for people who inject drugs, to prevent new infections.”

Rachel Halford, CEO of The Hepatitis C Trust said: “We are on the cusp of one of the most significant public health achievements in our country’s history. To sustain this momentum, continued commitment and long-term investment are essential. Renewing funding for this vital, highly successful and truly unique national programme will enable us to maintain progress and continue reaching those most at risk

“Hepatitis C disproportionately affects some of the most marginalised and underserved communities in England – people who have too often faced stigma, exclusion and barriers to healthcare. This programme has been instrumental in overcoming those barriers, bringing testing, treatment and support directly to people who have historically been overlooked. Continued investment will ensure that no one is left behind as we work towards eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat.”

Internationally, full elimination status covers viral hepatitis as a whole, meaning both hepatitis B and hepatitis C. While England’s progress on hepatitis C is world-leading, more progress is needed to increase diagnosis and linkage to care and treatment for people who are living with hepatitis B, and a national patient management system planned for 2026–27 will allow that progress to be tracked more robustly.

This programme supports the government’s drive to build an NHS fit for the future, shifting care from sickness to prevention and reducing pressure on hospital services.

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