A new website provides the most up-to-date guidance on appropriate care for practitioners who treat patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).HCVguidelines.org, developed by IDSA and the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) in collaboration with the International Antiviral Society-USA (IAS-USA), offers evidence-based, consensus recommendations for the screening, treatment and management of patients with HCV.

This guidance, which is not available elsewhere, comes at a time when the field of treating the estimated 3-4 million Americans infected with HCV is rapidly changing. Recent changes in recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force regarding who should be tested for HCV are likely to increase the numbers of patients diagnosed with the infection and those who seek treatment. In addition, the latest generation of direct-acting antivirals has the potential to cure most patients with HCV; however, the rapid pace of drug development has left medical providers and insurance companies unsure of optimal treatments.

HCVguidelines.org will be updated regularly to keep pace with improved diagnostic tools and new drug options as they meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The panel of experts behind the site consists of 26 liver disease and/or infectious diseases specialists who base their recommendations on a rigorous review of data and includes IDSA co-chairs, Henry Masur, MD, FIDSA, and David Thomas, MD, FIDSA, as well as a patient advocate. The panel will continue to provide updated recommendations as new research becomes available and new drugs are approved by FDA.

IDSA Members

Highlighting the new recommendations being made available on HCVguidelines.org, Dr. Thomas of Johns Hopkins University will be reviewing data regarding updates in HCV treatment for the IDSA Hepatitis C Knowledge Network Webinar Series* on Friday, February 7, at 1-2 p.m. Eastern.

The IDSA Hepatitis C Knowledge Network offers hour-long webinars to educate IDSA members about the current recommended practices to effectively identify, treat and manage patients infected with HCV. Furthermore, the IDSA Hepatitis C Knowledge Network archives* houses past webinars available for video streaming as well as slide sets with speaker notes available for download.

Please visit the IDSA Hepatitis C Knowledge Network* page to register for the “Updates in HCV Treatment” webinar as well as upcoming webinar events.

*IDSA Member Login Required