Spain could become one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C | Leader in Social Information
Since the launch of the Hepatitis C (HCV) Strategic Plan, more than 165,731 patients have been treated in Spain, with a cure rate of approximately 95%, demonstrating the efforts made to transform the lives of these patients so that they can become one one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C.
However, to achieve the WHO goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, initiatives must be launched to improve the prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive management of hepatitis C, it has been found. Workshop on Viral Hepatitis: Elimination and Control as Key Goals,” organized today by Gilead Sciences, and attended by leaders from the major scientific societies involved in its approach.
Experts agreed that it is necessary to use all diagnostic capabilities and go where the patients may be. In this sense, they emphasized the importance of carrying out diagnostic tests among those people or groups who represent risk indicators and may be carriers of this virus.
Dr. Manuel Romero, President of AEEH, spoke about the current situation with viral hepatitis in Spain, analyzing where we are and remembering that to eliminate hepatitis C and achieve the 2030 goals, societies must “work in an interdisciplinary manner. scientists such as government administrations, specialists and organizations. To this end, it is necessary to promote comprehensive and opportunistic diagnostics that will benefit the thousands of patients with viral hepatitis in Spain awaiting detection, connection to the health care system and treatment.”
The diagnosis of viral hepatitis and the search for options was discussed during the seminar by Dr. Federico Garcia, President of SEIMC, who recalled the importance of the diagnosis: “It is very important to use any test for the diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis. A comprehensive diagnosis of viral hepatitis for HBV/HDV is carried out in less than 50% of cases. This is why it is critical to increase the number of people diagnosed and linked to care, to simplify and improve the care pathway to avoid underdiagnosis and loss of patients (recovery of those lost). For hepatitis Delta, we must test all people with chronic hepatitis B for HDV and treat them to prevent progression of the disease.”
Despite this, there are still opportunities to bring diagnosis closer to those people who are living with the infection and do not know it. An example is hospital emergency services, where the prevalence of active infection is three times higher than in the general population5. Thus, Dr. Juan Gonzalez del Castillo, coordinator of the SEMES Infection Working Group (INFURG-SEMES), explained that emergency services play a key role in achieving zero hepatitis goals, since “44% of patients identified in emergency departments do not know their infectious status, and patients are often (up to 51%) diagnosed with a severe degree of fibrosis4. Late diagnosis can lead to progression to severe disease5, which is associated with higher mortality, poorer quality of life and higher costs6.”
Many of the viremic patients treated in emergency departments represent populations that are difficult for the healthcare system to access. In most cases, this route becomes the only entry point. For this reason, Dr. González del Castillo recalls that “opportunistic diagnostics in emergency services is the key to eliminating, achieving automation of the diagnostics carried out in them. Therefore, the participation and collaboration of different scientific societies is essential to achieve HCV elimination in Spain.”
DELTA HEPATITIS
Experts also demonstrated the importance of improving care for patients with hepatitis Delta, which is the most serious of the viral hepatitises. This disease affects patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is associated with faster progression of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, as well as an increased risk of liver cancer and death. Currently, many patients with VGB remain undiagnosed, in part due to limited knowledge about the disease and a historical lack of effective treatments.
Regarding hepatitis Delta, Dr. Manuel Romero added that we must use “every opportunity to be able to treat patients with hepatitis Delta, which has not been possible until now, and for this it is necessary to increase the level of diagnosis in patients with hepatitis Delta.” Chronic hepatitis B and refer them to the healthcare system for comprehensive treatment, given the aggressiveness of this infection.”
During the presentation, Martha Velazquez, Director of Gilead’s Liver Business Unit, recalled that Gilead has more than 20 years of experience in the fight against liver disease and more than 10 achievements for a positive future. During this time, the company has improved the lives of more than 10.9 million people around the world,7 always striving to make a difference in the lives of millions of people and their families with a strong commitment to eliminating hepatitis C and improving HBV treatment. and HDV
He said Gilead has played a fundamental role in changing the course of HCV and will continue to work with all parties involved until its eradication is achieved through initiatives that ensure all patients are diagnosed and treated. The company has completed two decades of innovation in the field of viral hepatitis since it began its journey with the first treatment for hepatitis B in 2003. Since 2014, Gilead has a portfolio of antiviral drugs for the treatment and treatment of hepatitis C. This portfolio of drugs for the treatment of viral hepatitis hepatitis was expanded in 2024 to include the only approved treatment for HDV on the National Health System (SNS). in Europe.
Gilead has implemented an ambitious strategy to support innovative projects both within hospitals and across medical centers to continue to diagnose and refer all infected patients. Initiatives that, as Marta Velázquez explained, “amount to 326 projects funded in 15 autonomous communities, exceeding the six million euros provided by Gilead as part of our commitment to innovation. But much remains to be done, and ambitious regional eradication plans are needed that include all parties involved and take advantage of all diagnostic capabilities. Because we firmly believe that no patient should be left behind.”
“At Gilead, we will continue to work in a coordinated manner with all agencies and organizations to achieve eradication. As part of this, we have expanded our commitment to viral hepatitis, now hepatitis Delta, the most serious and rapidly progressive, which affects many young patients who experience a rapid decline in health and quality of life, and which today in Every Day they have a new hope for an improvement in the prognosis of my life,” recalls Martha Velasquez.
In Spain, Gilead followed the recommendations of scientific societies and supported regional eradication plans and specialists in these projects seeking to achieve eradication of the disease. Among these projects, therefore, it is worth highlighting the Gilead fellowship projects for hepatitis C microelimination and hepatitis D epidemiology, which, together with AEEH, just failed their sixth competition, awarding 14 projects; o Detect-C is a project in collaboration with Socidrogalcohol that provides diagnostic kits to centers serving vulnerable populations.