Treatment as prevention and cure towards global eradication of hepatitis C virus

• Treatment as prevention with interferon-free regimens is key to hepatitis C virus eradication.
• Making the most effective treatments globally accessible is ethically imperative.
• Government/industry investment can reduce societal costs and improve human health.
• Eradication depends on research towards effective and safe oral pangenotypic regimens.

The availability of curative, direct-acting antiviral drugs against hepatitis C virus (HCV) sparks an ethical call for HCV eradication and provides essential tools to spearhead the effort. Challenges include increasing awareness of the chronic hepatitis C epidemic, garnering sufficient public, private, and governmental financial will to invest in the necessary resources, developing pangenotypic drug regimens for global application, and mitigating ethical concerns. To achieve these goals, stakeholders including clinicians, public health professionals, legislators, advocates, and industry can employ a variety of strategies such as increasing HCV screening, implementing treatment as prevention, and improving linkage to care, as well as developing innovative pricing and payment solutions, stimulating innovation through local drug development in high-prevalence regions, continuing vaccine development, and creating efficiencies in the marketing and distribution of educational materials and drug treatments.