Advocacy group criticizes hepatitis C screening suggestions

A recently published article by the New York Times has caused controversy among healthcare officials, and was criticized by the National Virus Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) According to the organization, the story suggests that as new drug therapies are being developed, there may not be a need to expand the availability of hepatitis C screenings.

NVHR also reports that if access to testing decreases, people who are unaware they have contracted the virus may be more likely to infect their sexual partners. In turn, this could lead to a large population of people spreading and becoming infected with the disease.

"We can't prevent or treat what we don't know, which is why screening is critical," said Andrew Muir, steering committee member of the NVHR. He added that "access to screening would capture more infected individuals who can respond favorably to early intervention, reduce transmission, avoid needless medical expenses, and ultimately save thousands of lives annually."

People who are unable to access testing clinics, but are concerned about their health, can benefit from purchasing online testing kits. The results are typically mailed back within three days.