] Subj: Australia: Hepatitis C report

Source:
The AGE August 27 1997 pA4
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD August 27 1997 p4
DAILY TELEGRAPH August 27 1997 p19
WEST AUSTRALIAN August 27 1997 p6

The Federal Government has been urged to conduct a farreaching overhaul of
the treatment of hepatitis C. A National Health and Medical Research
Council report recommends that several groups intravenous drug users,
people with cirrhosis, heavy drinkers and HIVpositive patients be
allowed to receive governmentsubsidised treatment with the drug interferon
to treat hepatitis C infection. Such groups are currently banned. It is
estimated that at least 150,000 Australians (the Sydney Morning Herald said
250,000!) are carrying the virus. Conservative estimates put the annual
infection rate at 6,000 but one Melbourne study estimated the infection
rate among drug users alone could be 8,000 to 10,000 a year. The SMH
articled referred to the "epidemic" levels among intravenous drug users,
with more than 70 per cent of past and present users infected. While some
people with the virus remain healthy, about 20 per cent develop cirrhosis
within 20 years, and up to 10 per cent of these develop liver cancer.