Michelle Winokur, DrPH
The youngest and most vulnerable victims of America’s expanding hepatitis C epidemic are newborn babies. Nevertheless, many of those exposed to the virus are not getting tested.
That could soon change, though, if new federal recommendations are approved. (1)
New Testing Recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended:
- All babies born to pregnant women with confirmed or probable hepatitis C should receive testing.
- Infants whose test detects the virus should be referred to healthcare providers with expertise in pediatric hepatitis C management.
Hepatitis C virus infections quadrupled over the past decade nationally. Moreover, the latest data show that among infants born to HCV-infected mothers, 7% develop this infection through contact with the mother’s blood during pregnancy or childbirth.
Despite its prevalence, hepatitis C is notoriously underdiagnosed because it can attack the liver for years without the patient showing any symptoms. An estimated 40% of people currently infected do not realize they have it.
Standardized testing for all infants exposed perinatally would help improve diagnosis, linkage to care, and treatment. A highly effective anti-viral therapy is approved for children as young as three. The new recommendations would also help close the disparity that sees some high-risk children evaluated and treated while others do not.
A Health Care Paradox
Hepatitis C has been called a paradox of U.S. health care. The medical community has never been better equipped to diagnose, treat and prevent this disease, yet infections continue to surge.
Sharing unsterilized needles is a significant cause of hepatitis C infection; the ongoing opioid epidemic fuels its spread. Hepatitis C causes liver inflammation, leading to long-term health problems, including cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. It also kills more Americans than all other infectious diseases, COVID-19 exempted.
The CDC’s infant recommendations come after the agency’s 2020 release of universal screening guidelines for all adults, including pregnant women. Both initiatives are part of a comprehensive national effort to eradicate hepatitis C.
Reaching that goal is an uphill battle. The latest recommendations are vital for that fight and deserve broad support.
References:
Michelle Winokur, DrPH, is the Executive Director of the Institute for Patient Access.
This article was also published at healthpolicytoday.org
Corresponding Author
Michelle Winokur, DrPH,
Policy Communications Director
Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA) Government Affairs Team
1275 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 1100A
Washington, DC 20004-2417
202-499-4114
info@allianceforpatientaccess.org