Hepatitis C (adult) (policy currently under review)
The UK NSC policy on Hepatitis C screening in adults
More Information
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral infection. Very rarely it can also be passed on through other body fluids, such as through having unprotected sex. Drug users sharing needles are at particular risk, as is anyone whose blood has come into contact with the blood of someone infected with hepatitis C.
» Read more about hepatitis C on NHS Choices
Policy Position
Screening for Hepatitis C should not be offered. Screening should not be introduced into genitourinary medicine clinics.
This policy is currently being reviewed as part of the UK NSC's regular review cycle of all policies.
The review process began in Aug 2009 and is estimated to be completed by Mar 2013.
Evidence Supporting the Policy
A paper on screening for hepatitis C among injecting drug users and in genitourinary medicine clinics was commissioned by the Health Technology Assessment Programme, which concluded that “while selective screening may be more cost-effective and affordable than universal screening [of people attending genitourinary medicine clinics], we believe that it remains open to question whether seeing people other than injecting drug users for screening represents a cost-effective use of NHS resources” (see below).
Health Technology Assessment 2002 vol 6, no. 31. Screening for hepatitis c among injecting drug users and in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics: systematic reviews of effectiveness, modelling study and national survey of current practice
Stakeholders
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
British Association for Sexual Health and HIV
British Association for Study of the Liver
British HIV Association
British Infection Association
British Liver Nurses' Forum
The British Liver Trust
British Society for Immunology
British Society of Gastroenterology
British Viral Hepatitis Group
Department of Health Advisory Group on Hepatitis
Health Protection Agency
Hepatitis C Trust
Mainliners
National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Terrence Higgins Trust
The stakeholder groups will be involved when the policy is next reviewed. If you think your organisation should be added, please contact us.
