NEW SURVEY FINDS THAT MOST DC BABY BOOMERS HAVE NEVER BEEN TESTED FOR HEPATITIS C DESPITE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS -- All DC Baby Boomers Should Speak to Their Doctor About Getting Tested

Hepatitis C is an under recognized and under diagnosed disease. It affects almost 5 million Americans, only 1 million of whom are aware of their diagnosis. Worldwide, there are 170 million people affected. Within the United States, hepatitis C disproportionately affects African Americans, Latinos and people in a lower socioeconomic status. Many people ignore a remote history of "risky" behavior, such as casual drug use, because it was decades ago. And yet, recognizing and diagnosing the disease is the first step towards eliminating the health risk.

It is estimated that 79% of all Americans with hepatitis C were born between the years 1945 and 1965, also known as the baby boomer generation. The CDC and the USPTF now recommend that everyone born in those two decades get tested for hepatitis C. To be effective, this recommendation requires much greater awareness on the part of all health care personnel and the public at large. World Hepatitis Day, which just passed on July 28th, is an important step to bringing attention to this important recommendation.

A recent survey of Washington D.C. baby boomers found that 62 percent have never been tested for hepatitis C and only 22 percent realized that they were at a higher risk of being infected. This shows a real lack of awareness amongst baby boomers in the DC area. They don’t realize that they are five times more likely than any other age group to be infected with hepatitis C.

We already have the ability to cure the majority of untreated patients affected by hepatitis C. There is rapid and tremendous progress to developing combinations of oral medications that will cure almost all of our patients. These drugs will be coming to market soon and pharmaceutical companies, the regulatory agencies and clinical researchers are all working feverishly to bring these life-saving medications forward for widespread use.

We are truly at a very fortunate time in the history of hepatitis C. From recognizing the virus in 1990 to the ability to cure virtually everyone with the disease in the span of 25 years is a great, great public health benefit. On the heels of World Hepatitis Day, let us all spread the message so all of those affected can be recognized and treated.