Hepatitis C

House of Lords written question – answered at on 7 November 2002.

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Photo of Lord Morris of Manchester Lord Morris of Manchester Labour

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 9 October (WA 26), why the National Health Service has not yet responded to the last appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence of therapies for patients with chronic hepatitis C;

What was the number of patients treated by the National Health Service for chronic hepatitis C in the United Kingdom in 2001; and how that number compared with Germany and France; and how the numbers of people identified as suffering from chronic hepatitis C in the three countries compare; and

What is the latest figure available for the number of patients treated for chronic hepatitis C in the United Kingdom during 2002.

Photo of Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Lord Hunt of Kings Heath Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Health, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health)

Health authority allocations for 2002–03 were increased by £3,704 million, or 9.9 per cent. A key priority for the use of additional funding is the implementation of guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. From 1 January 2002, the National Health Service is under a statutory obligation to provide appropriate funding for treatments or drugs which have been recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

The Department of Health does not collect information centrally on the number of patients receiving treatment for hepatitis C. Treatment for hepatitis C in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

It is estimated that the prevalence of hepatitis C antibody in the general population of the United Kingdom is about 0.5 per cent. Studies in France and Germany have estimated that the prevalence of hepatitis C antibody in the general population is around 1.0 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively. About 80 per cent of those infected with hepatitis C develop chronic infection.

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