The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the International Antiviral Society-USA collaborated on the launch of a new website — HCVguidelines.org — created to offer up-to-date information on treatment recommendations for hepatitis C virus infection.
“An estimated 3 to 4 million Americans are infected with HCV and are at risk for progressing to chronic liver disease as a result,” Michael Saag, MD, FIDSA, member of the Board of Directors of the IAS-USA and co-chair of the guidance panel, said in a press release. “The presence of a readily available, frequently updated guidance document is a great service to providers and their patients, who will benefit from modern treatments that result in cure of HCV up to 95% of the time.”
While the new generation of direct-acting antivirals may potentially cure patients with HCV, it is the rapid pace of drug development that has created a need for guidance on what the optimal treatments are. HCVguidelines.org will assist healthcare workers in using these treatments when caring for their patients.
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“Recent changes in HCV testing guidelines have led to the diagnosis of increasing numbers of patients who were previously unaware of their infection,” Adrian Di Bisceglie, MD, FACP, president of AASLD said in a press release. “The guidance provided through HCVguidelines.org comes at a critical time as more and more of these patients seek treatment that has the potential to effectively ‘cure’ them.”
The guidance panel for the website included 26 liver disease and infectious disease specialists and one patient advocate. The site is expected to be updated regularly with the latest diagnostics and new drug approvals.
“In just the past 3 months, two new medications became available for treating HCV that hold a great deal of promise for patients living with this disease, and more are expected. HCVguidelines.org provides physicians with the latest information and informed guidance on the available treatment options based on a rigorous review of data,” Barbara Murray, MD, FIDSA, president of IDSA, said in a press release.
