Hepatitis C: looking into the future

INTRODUCTION

The recent availability of highly effective hepatitis C medications, with a cure rate approaching 100%, has created a wide range of questions and uncertainties.

AREAS COVERED

The most recent data around hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination will be reviewed. In addition, the impact of HCV cure or sustained virologic response (SVR) on the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development will be discussed. Although the terms 'SVR' and 'cure' are used interchangeably, there are little data to support that they are actually the same. In this review, we will shed some light on the status of HCV vaccine development, obstacles, and published experience. Finally, in the face of decreasing HCV patients needing transplantation, and increasing available organs from donors infected with HCV, the question is that, is it possible to transplant an organ infected with HCV to a patient who is not infected? The pros and cons of transplanting HCV-positive organs to HCV-negative recipients will be discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

Although the new advances in HCV treatment have solved many problems, it created several new issues which the medical community has to deal with and which will likely remain in the near future.