Professor Hutchinson to present to world leaders in Paris

Professor Sharon Hutchinson will present Scotland's national surveillance of the treatment of, and disease associated with, the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) to international leaders in Paris this week.

The conference will look at Scotland's Strategy to reduce the clinical and economic burden of Hepatitis C.

Scotland has an estimated 34,500 people chronically infected with HCV and is regarded as a world leader in facing the problem. Rapid advances in the field of HCV treatment have led to a significant decline in those suffering from the disease and Scotland has set an ambitious target of reducing the incidence of HCV-related decompensation cirrhosis by 75% between 2015 and 2020.

Professor Hutchinson will say that evidence shows a scale up of therapy has resulted in substantially fewer patients presenting with decompensated cirrhosis, a life-threatening condition when the liver fails to function, however, this has highlighted the need to also address other health-risk behaviours that pose a continued risk of liver disease progression in those who are clear of the virus.

This annual congress is the biggest event in the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) calendar, attracting scientific and medical experts from around the world to learn about the latest in liver research. Attending specialists present, share, debate and conclude on the latest science and research in hepatology, working to enhance the treatment and management of liver disease in clinical practice. This year, the congress is expected to attract approximately 10,000 delegates from all corners of the globe.