MPHA Issue Priority
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C affects over 110,000 Massachusetts residents, the majority of whom do not realize they carry and can transmit the virus. Hepatitis C can lead to liver damage, liver failure, and death, and is the leading cause of costly liver transplants.
Crucial education, diagnosis, and treatment services are woefully underfunded by the state, standing at 44 percent of the Fiscal Year 2001 level. MPHA coordinates the Massachusetts Hepatitis C Coalition, which conducts education and advocacy to increase awareness of the disease and boost support for prevention and treatment programs. MPHA and the coalition are seeking $2.5 million for hepatitis C programs in the state’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget.
Learn about other priority issues of MPHA.