The United States lags behind other countries in hepatitis C treatment

Despite an arsenal of medications, many Americans still ignore their infections until it's too late. A Biden initiative stalls without congressional approval.

In the 10 years since pharmaceutical maker Gilead launched a breakthrough treatment for hepatitis C, a wave of new therapies has been used to cure millions of people. of people worldwide from the blood-borne virus.

Today, 15 countries, including Egypt, Canada and Australia, are on track to eliminate hepatitis C within this decade, according to the Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, a nonprofit organization. Each has led a fierce national testing and treatment campaign.

But the arsenal of drugs, which has generated tens of billions of dollars for pharmaceutical companies, 'has not brought the United States any closer to eradicating the disease.

Spread through the blood, particularly through intravenous drug use, the Hepatitis C causes inflammation of the liver, although people may not have any symptoms for years. Only a fraction of Americans with the virus are aware of the infection, although many develop the deadly disease.

A drug treatment lasting eight to 12 weeks Is simple. But those most at risk, including those who are incarcerated, uninsured or homeless, have difficulty navigating the U.S. health care system to obtain treatment.

Among people diagnosed in the United States since 2013, only 34 percent have been cured, according to a recent analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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