England is progressing toward becoming one of the first nations globally to eliminate hepatitis C, according to recent health data. The country has already achieved the treatment target of 80% of known cases and has seen a 36% reduction in deaths from the virus over the past decade. Around 50,200 adults are living with hepatitis C in England based on 2024 figures, with an estimated 84.6% of those having been diagnosed.
The NHS has implemented multiple strategies to identify previously undiagnosed individuals, including blood tests in accident and emergency departments, general practitioner registration testing, and free at-home testing kits. Antiviral tablet treatment administered for 8 to 12 weeks can cure more than 95% of cases. Since 2015, more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C in England. A separate mortality reduction goal of 65% compared with 2015 levels has not yet been achieved but may be met before the 2030 target date set by the World Health Organization.
The Hepatitis C Trust has characterized England’s progress as placing the country “on the cusp” of a major public health achievement. NHS leadership has stated that England is “leading the world” in efforts to eliminate the disease. Healthcare officials have particularly urged testing among adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia, or Slovakia, as some may have contracted the virus through medical or dental procedures before 1991. Free and confidential home testing kits are available online without requiring a visit to a general practitioner.
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