HCMSG - Hepatitis C Mentor & Support Group, Inc.
Search
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Medical Advisors
  • Resources
    • Corona Virus
    • Hep C Facts & Stats
    • Medications and Treatments >
      • Patient Assistance Programs
    • Reading
    • Links
  • Programs/Training
    • The Circle Model >
      • THE CIRCLE Registration
      • Group and Facilitator Guide
    • Hepatitis C Online Training
    • The Hepatitis C Education and Support Group Assistance Program
    • Healthcare Provider Training
  • Newsletter
  • Blog
  • Support Us
    • Holiday 2020
  • Contact Us

Media Advisory | Hep C RNA Reflex Testing Health Code Amendment Adopted

11/8/2017

0 Comments

 
                                                                          October 27th,2017
The NYC Board of Health Amended the Health Code to Improve Complete Hepatitis C Diagnostic Testing in NYC
In order to improve complete hepatitis C diagnostic testing, care and treatment rates in New York City at the population level, the Board of Health adopted an amendment to the Health Code to require laboratories to automatically perform an hepatitis C RNA confirmatory test when there is an initial positive antibody test for hepatitis C. Complete diagnostic testing for hepatitis C is an important first step to ensuring that people are aware of their status and have the opportunity to be treated and cured. Combining these two steps will ensure that patients with hepatitis C are diagnosed immediately the first time they are tested, rather than having to return to the clinician for follow-up visits and testing. The Board of Health approved the Amendment in September 2017, and the law went into effect on October 20th 2017.
In the newly released Annual Report, “Hepatitis B and C in New York City 2016” , the Health Department reported that among 11, 847 newly reported cases of hepatitis C in 2016, 23% never received hepatitis C RNA confirmatory testing to determine whether they have active, current infection. The Health Department also reports on an analysis of patient outcomes for people reported with active hepatitis C infection in 2015, finding that only a third initiated treatment. And more than half of deaths related to hepatitis C in 2015 occurred prematurely, in people aged 65 or younger.
Hepatitis C related liver disease progression, cancer, premature death and ongoing transmission of the virus can be prevented by ensuring that people with active hepatitis C are appropriately tested and treated to cure the infection. Treatment is now only eight to twelve weeks with all oral well tolerated medications, and almost all people treated can be cured regardless of comorbid conditions, drug use or alcohol consumption.
The Health Department’s policy approach to improving hepatitis C clinical practice is important as 146,500 people are estimated to be infected hepatitis C and only 16% are estimated to be cured. New York City is the first in the nation to mandate hepatitis C antibody to reflex RNA testing by laboratories, an important health policy advancement strategy that may be replicable across the nation.
This letter has been sent to NYC laboratories informing them of the amendment.

https://hepfree.nyc/media-advisory-hep-c-rna-reflex-testing-health-code-amendment-adopted/

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Privacy Policy