In May 2013, the Global Commission on Drug Policy released a report on the Hidden Epidemic of Hepatitis C, which contains a set of recommendations to draw the attention of the public and governments to what the World Health Organization considers to be a real viral time bomb. In fact, Chronic Hepatitis C is a disease that affects 170 million people worldwide, infecting almost 4 million people and causing 350,000 deaths each year. Being a chronic viral infection with a very high prevalence, Hepatitis C poses major public health, economic and social problems, especially in low and middle income countries.The Strategic Consensus for the Management of Hepatitis C in Portugal is the result of discussions held between October 2013 and March 2014 by a Think Tank, composed of about 30 people representing science, clinical practice, Health management, political power and patients. A VERY MERITFUL STUDY, this one on Hepatitis C, its prevention and the treatment it requires.
Dom Manuel Clemente Patriarch of Lisbon
It is in this context that I want to welcome the study, as timely as it is significant, that is presented here, which together transposes the generic recommendations just mentioned to the case of Portugal. And it is not only the fact that it makes a scientific and integrated approach to this epidemic in our country that is relevant, but also the underlying purpose, which is to present the framework of a strategic consensus for the management of hepatitis C in Portugal, according to an interesting methodology of levels of agreement. Congratulations to the authors and participants in the Think Tank that gave rise to this study! We must now prepare the next step, the implementation. Emergencies do not wait.
Jorge Sampaio President of the Republic (1996-2006) Member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy
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