Improving Hep C notifications: regulatory barriers and enablers

Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver disease globally. Across Australia, more than 117,000 people were living with chronic hepatitis C at the end of 2020. 

However, hepatitis C is curable. Australia has committed to the World Health Organization the goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. Highly effective direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies have been available in Australia, through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since 2016. 

After strong initial uptake in treatment (estimates of more than 53,000 people starting treatment in 2016 and 2017), this uptake has slowed considerably (fewer than 6,500 people in 2021). On current projections, Australia is likely to miss its elimination goals.

One of the challenges is to find, engage and support people with hepatitis C into treatment. In the study Connect C, we are exploring how to improve public health systems that collect and use disease notifications data for this purpose. Disease notification systems are enabled by public health legislation in each state and territory. Vital to the study is understanding the respective legislative mechanisms across Australia, the variations between jurisdictions, and the barriers and enablers to optimal use of these systems to eliminate hepatitis C.

The study involves legislative and policy analysis from legal databases and other materials and analysis of information from other research activities, such as consultations with key stakeholders.