The National CIHR Hepatitis C Network (NCHCN)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem. In Canada, it is estimated that 242,500 individuals are infected with the incidence of approximately 4,000 new cases per year. The majority of newly infected individuals develop persistent infection and chronic liver disease over many years including liver cancer. Liver disease due to chronic HCV infection is the leading cause of liver transplant in North America. There is no vaccine for HCV and new infections remain a problem among vulnerable populations like people who inject drugs (PWID), aboriginals, men who have sex with men (MS) and in developing countries. New highly effective direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have offered new hope for eradication of HCV. However, these new drugs remain expensive and their long-term effects on reversing the epidemic of liver disease related to HCV and its associated economic burden remain unknown. In response to the CIHR call to create a National Research Network on Hepatitis C, we propose to establish a continuous pipeline from discovery to implementation to reduce HCV transmission, cure and improve the quality of life of persons infected with HCV, and to work towards the eradication of HCV infection in Canada. Our overarching goal is to conduct innovative and interdisciplinary research, build research capacity, and translate evidence for uptake into practice and policy, to improve HCV prevention and health outcomes of Canadians and contribute to the global effort to reduce HCV burden worldwide. We gather basic, clinical, and population health research expertise to tackle three major themes: 1.Prevention: To improve strategies and interventions to reduce HCV prevalence and HCV incidence in the Canadian population 2.Treatment: To elaborate strategies to improve treatment access, treatment uptake and adherence, and treatment outcomes 3.Outcomes: To generate evidence-based data on health outcomes of people living with hepatitis C to guide decision making.