May 25th is Hepatitis C (HCV) Cure Day in New York State (NYS). Untreated HCV causes serious illness, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Treatment with direct acting antiviral therapies can cure HCV with minimal side effects; however, many people living with HCV are unaware they are infected and remain untreated. In 2019, there were 6,164 newly reported HCV cases in NYS (excluding New York City).
HCV Cure Day is an opportunity to celebrate those cured of HCV, encourage those at risk to be tested, and motivate patients to initiate or continue treatment for HCV. Increased access to HCV screening and treatment are key targets of the NYS HCV Elimination Plan, released in November 2021. Through implementation of public health measures undertaken through the HCV Elimination Plan, NYS aims to have 90% of people living with HCV diagnosed, and 80% of people diagnosed with HCV treated or cleared of infection.
Visit the NYS Department of Health’s NYS HCV Cure Day page, featuring a Cure Day toolkit for providers and organizations, as well as other Cure Day resources and social media graphics to share.
