A National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C

Dear Colleague,

March 31, 2017

On March 28, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) published a report that highlights one of the most important threats to the public’s health: viral hepatitis. The National Academies’ report, A National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C, commissioned by CDC and collaborating partners, identifies new opportunities for preventing transmission and recommends action steps that will help ensure people are tested, treated, and/or cured of viral hepatitis, eliminating these infections as public health threats for the nation.

This Report is supported by extensive research and offers recommendations that resonate with many of CDC’s highest priorities for viral hepatitis prevention, including:

• Decreasing deaths by increasing testing and treatment for people living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• Reducing spread of hepatitis B and hepatitis C associated with drug use and other common routes.
• Preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• Accelerating progress through prevention research, technical assistance, and partner engagement.

The report focuses on the central need for public health surveillance; expansion of testing in alignment with the current CDC and USPSTF recommendations; linkage to HBV and HCV testing with treatment; improvement of access to lifesaving medications; provision of prevention, screening, and treatment to the incarcerated and those who inject drugs; and closure of research gaps in diagnostic testing and tools to detect and investigate social networks at risk for hepatitis C.

CDC will continue to take action to prevent new infections, morbidity, mortality, and health disparities associated with viral hepatitis. Achieving elimination goals will require adequate resources and a strong national commitment to working together across federal, state, and local governments; nongovernmental organizations; other partners; and people living with viral hepatitis. We appreciate the work of the National Academies in producing this report, A National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C. The document lays out ambitious goals and a strong foundational blueprint for achieving improved health for millions of Americans at risk for or living with viral hepatitis.

Sincerely,

/Jonathan Mermin/
Jonathan H. Mermin, M.D., MPH
RADM and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
Director
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/nchhstp

/John Ward/
John W. Ward, MD
Director
Division of Viral Hepatitis
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/HEPATITIS