Hepatitis C costs soar

An epidemic of hepatitis C among intravenous drug users will cost up to $400 million unless the users are treated now, says a health researcher.

Health economist Ian Sheerin, from the National Addiction Centre at the Christchurch School of Medicine, said the lack of strategic screening, management and treatment for drug users with the potentially fatal disease would drain the health system for years.

"My research predicts there will be a cost of between $166 and $400 million over the next 30 years because of a lack of adequate treatment," he said.

GP visits, diagnostic tests, hospital outpatient follow-ups and inpatient admission for liver cirrhosis and liver transplants would multiply the burden on the health system, he warned.

"Treatment is not being funded at all at the moment," Mr Sheerin said.

"We test for it [hepatitis C] whenever an intravenous drug user presents for alcohol and drug rehabilitation, but we don't treat them."

Mr Sheerin said there had been little official recognition of the crisis and more public education was urgently needed.

About 25,000 New Zealanders have the disease, with 1300 new infections a year. About 84 per cent of the 19,000 users of injected drugs are infected with the disease, which can cause cirrhosis and terminal liver disease.

Early intervention was not only the "most rational economic course" but also obviously benefited the patient, Mr Sheerin said.

- NZPA