Hepatitis C Research

Hepatitis C is an increasingly common disease in the United States.

An estimated 3 million to 5 million Americans have the disease. If Hepatitis C is left untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and death.

The standard treatment for Hepatitis C is a year-long combination of medications. Among the 70 percent of Americans with the most difficult-to-treat version of the disease, 35 percent to 45 percent are cured by the standard treatment. But it can be hard to tolerate. Side effects include severe fatigue, drops in blood-cell counts and psychiatric side effects.

Researching New Treatments for Hepatitis C

UVA is a national leader in researching potential improvements to Hepatitis C treatment. We’re currently participating in clinical trials to investigate new treatments for the disease.

The goal over the next five to seven years is to develop new treatment options, says UVA hepatologist Patrick Northup, MD, MHES. Researchers nationwide hope to get new drugs approved for Hepatitis C treatment that could improve the cure rate, shorten the treatment time and lessen side effects.

Liver Care at UVA

UVA’s Hepatology Clinic provides leading-edge surgical and medical care for patients with liver disease, including:

• Living donor transplantation: We’re one of a few medical centers in the country performing liver transplants using living liver donors.
  
• Fatty liver disease: UVA doctors are experts at identifying causes of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and we’re researching new therapies to treat this disease.
• Liver cancer: UVA has a comprehensive liver cancer center designed to provide multidisciplinary care.