Kapadia SN, Jordan AE, Eckhardt BJ, Perlman DC. The Urgent Need to Implement Point-of-Care RNA Testing for Hepatitis C Virus to Support Elimination.
Clin Infect Dis 2024;
78:1235-1239. [PMID:
37633653 PMCID:
PMC11093654 DOI:
10.1093/cid/ciad503]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination is an important global public health goal. However, the United States is not on track to meet the World Health Organization's 2030 targets for HCV elimination. Recently, the White House proposed an HCV elimination plan that includes point-of-care (POC) HCV RNA testing, which is currently in use in many countries but is not approved in the United States. POC HCV RNA testing is crucial for implementing community-based testing and for enabling test-and-treat programs, assessing cure, and monitoring for reinfection. Here, we review the status of POC HCV RNA testing in the United States, discuss factors that are needed for successful implementation, and issue specific public health and policy recommendations that would allow for the use of POC HCV RNA testing to support HCV elimination.
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