WHO issues its first hepatitis C treatment guidelines

These are the first guidelines dealing with hepatitis C treatment produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and complement existing guidance on the prevention and transmission of bloodborne viruses, including HCV. They are intended for policy-malers, government officials and other working in low- and middleincome countries who are developing programmes for the screening, care and treatment of persons with HCV infection.

These guidelines serve as a framework that can allow the expansion of clinical services to patients with HCV infection, as they provide key recommendations in these areas and discuss considerations for implementation. The guidelines are also intended for health-care providers who care for persons with HCV infection in  low- and middleincome countries and provide them guidance in the management of patients infected with HCV. They make nine key recommendations. These include approaches to increase the number of people screened for hepatitis C infection, advice as to how to mitigate liver damage for those who are infected and how to select and provide appropriate treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection.  

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