HCV Elimination by 2026

Satellite Session:

Fantastic expert  panel presentation informally discussing reality of target and inviting audience participation

Consensus a Challenging target

Possible to eliminate as Public Health threat if role out of new treatment continues

Treat as prevention to decrease new infections

Do need vaccine as resistence possible

Possibly Realistic target have the tools, systems, funding

Need to ENGAGE people

Large population of HCV , it is not their priority

greater 40,000 treated  by end year but  many still not aware treatment availability, also ageing population

Need GP's to take up treatment

need to test, need good history taking ,use database

Remember STIGMA prevents accessing GP

need to increase training for GP's in Hep C and treatment

Open treatment landscape

Move out of Hospital specialist, GP could  use if not got skill set

Target will need massive investment for Aboriginal Medical Services

15-24 ages :Indigenous 8x higher Hep C rates

Increasing IVDU under acknowledged

And Prison

Will need sysrems to monitor who is on treatment

think treatment as prevention, frame positively, can cure

Solid plan to include Primary care, main contact point for Indigenous population

HIV coinfected treat early,  care re reinfection but Caution STIGMA

Remember DDI, be aware

HCV and HIV VL not an issue

BUT noted easy for the experts to say  need to role out updated info and guidelines for GPs

Reinfection main risk Prisons

Discussion around barriers to OCT (opiod substitute therapy/methadone)

Difficult to access in prisons....THE DIFFICULT area despite funding

NEED SAFE INJECTING PRACTICES and regulated needle exchange

30% Indigenous in prisons including youth

SA making inroads re strategy

Reminder Indigenous mobility 

Suggests Research grant re what it would take to get to target in Indigenous population

Cairns area low IVDU BUT caution change

Prison Mareeba attitude to treat prompt and often

Remember to look GLOBAL

Reminder of costs and increasing problem crystal meth

Problem HePC treatment still mainly metropolitan area

Need strong GP networks

Resistence in initial HCV regimes not a problem if Fail may need 2nd line

Need traditional Public Health approach

Indigenous population need treatment as prevention and to hear benefit of cure

Discusion re HIV group take on HCV as experienced

Need to be realistic, limited specialists,liver clinics problematic

Use of NPs

Need to be able to write prescriptions....in the pipeline

Overall consensus came at role out was backwards

Ivory Tower Not as Public Health problem

Approach should have been: 

ASSUME population dont know

Hep C much more prevalent

GET tested

Treatment can cure

Access to clean needles

Implement systemic changes in Primary care

Who are pos

Who is on treatment,adherence

Chronic care plans......

Overall great opportunity to see where the new treatment role out is at with a target date set for HCV elimination...

and opinions at what needs to be done 

Highlighted the continuing shame to ignore Indigenous population requirements, 

We once promoted safe injecting,needle exchange....

The title Australia leads the world is not deserved until it is truly inclusive to its Indigenous population needs