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WHO to release HCV treatment guidelines

WHO will be releasing its first global guidelines on how to effectively treat hepatitis C virus infection at the International Liver Congress, according to an organizational press release.

The guidelines, which will be presented at the congress on April 9 in London, will provide recommendations on screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV), medical care on how to slow disease progression and information on safe and effective curative treatments.

Speakers at the announcement will include Stefan Wiktor, MD, MPH, team lead for WHO’s global hepatitis program; Charles Gore, World Hepatitis Alliance; Wahid Doss, MD, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Institute; and Isabelle Andrieux-Meyer, MD, Médecins Sans Frontières.

An estimated 130 million to 150 million people worldwide are chronically infected with HCV that leads to an estimated 350,000 and 500,000 deaths annually.