The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) is pleased to announce some exciting updates about our new initiative, “Hepatitis C – It’s About More than Liver Disease.” This project aims to increase awareness about HCV-related health conditions that occur outside the liver. Over the next few months, NVHR will be rolling out a series of fact sheets describing the features of these conditions.

The first fact sheet provides a general overview of HCV-related health conditions affecting parts of the body other than the liver and the implications for treatment and clinical management. Subsequent fact sheets will describe specific conditions in more detail. 

NVHR will also host a webinar in the spring that will feature patient, clinical, and advocate perspectives on the importance of recognizing that HCV can impact multiple aspects of one’s health.

Up to 74% of HCV-infected individuals experience at least one HCV-related health condition that affects a part of the body other than the liver. A few examples include kidney disease, depression, various skin conditions, and lymphoma. These conditions can seriously impact a patient’s health, even without severe damage to the liver. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize these health conditions as part of HCV disease progression so that early treatment can be initiated. 

This project highlights the importance of managing HCV as a systemic disease that affects the overall health of an infected patient. We hope that you will use this information in your efforts to achieve our common goals of delivering hepatitis C education, increasing access to HCV treatment, and providing effective advocacy resources.

Please keep an eye out for additional fact sheets, as well as an invitation for the upcoming webinar.  

For more information about this project, visit our website or contact Tina Broder, NVHR’s Program Director.