The Elimination Of Hepatitis C As A Global Public Health Threat
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$7,001,475.00
Summary
In Australia over 230,000 people live with chronic HCV infection, with an estimated annual health care cost of over > $6.5 billion if left untreated. New highly effective HCV medications - direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have a cure rate of > 90%. DAAs will revolutionise HCV care - we can now stop HCV related deaths and transmission making HCV elimination possible. This Program Grant will directly contribute to the global response to HCV elimination and Australia achieving elimination by 2 ....In Australia over 230,000 people live with chronic HCV infection, with an estimated annual health care cost of over > $6.5 billion if left untreated. New highly effective HCV medications - direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have a cure rate of > 90%. DAAs will revolutionise HCV care - we can now stop HCV related deaths and transmission making HCV elimination possible. This Program Grant will directly contribute to the global response to HCV elimination and Australia achieving elimination by 2030.Read moreRead less
Improving The Health Of People With Problematic Drug Use: Hepatitis C And Drug Dependence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$9,060,140.00
Summary
Problematic drug use is the major risk factor to health among Australians aged 15-49 years. The dual harms of drug dependence and hepatitis C virus (HCV) faced by people who use drugs compel improved drug dependence management and HCV prevention and treatment. This Program Grant will improve the lives of people with problematic drug use by investigating health impacts of drug use and evaluating new strategies for managing drug dependence and eliminating HCV among people who use drugs.
Hepatitis C affects a quarter of a million Australians, causing insidious but progressive liver disease which culminates in liver failure or cancer. There is no vaccine and prevention programs have limited effectiveness, but new antiviral therapies now offer high rates of cure. This Program will evaluate strategies to improve the health of those affected and prevent new infections by better understanding of the virus and the body’s immune response, including scarring and liver cancer formation.