CDC Estimates Nearly 2.4 Million Americans Living with Hepatitis C

CDC Estimates Nearly 2.4 Million Americans Living with Hepatitis C

Nearly 2.4 million Americans living with hepatitis C between 2013 and 2016

Nearly 2.4 million Americans – 1 percent of the adult population – were living with hepatitis C from 2013 through 2016, according to new CDC estimates published today in the journal Hepatology.

Medications that cure hepatitis C offer the hope of eliminating the disease in the U.S., yet, today’s report suggests that millions are infected and have not benefited from these new treatment options. Expanded testing, treatment, and prevention services are urgently needed, especially in light of the surge in new infections linked to the opioid crisis.

Key findings

We have yet to realize the full potential of today’s effective cures for hepatitis C

• CDC estimates nearly 2.4 million Americans were living with Hepatitis C from 2013-2016
• Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been cured, but the majority of people infected with hepatitis C have not benefited from one of the greatest medical advancements of our lifetime
• The opioid crisis is sabotaging progress against Hepatitis C – new hepatitis C infections have more than tripled in recent years, largely due to increased injection drug use

For more information, please see our press release. Additional media resources including graphics can be found on the NCHHSTP newsroom.