Impact of COVID-19 on global HCV elimination efforts

Abstract

Background & aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed a significant strain on national healthcare systems at a critical moment in the context of hepatitis elimination. Mathematical models can be used to evaluate the possible impact of programmatic delays on hepatitis disease burden. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the incremental change in HCV liver-related deaths and liver cancer, following a 3-month, 6-month, or 1-year hiatus in hepatitis elimination programs.

Methods: Previously developed models were adapted for 110 countries to include a status quo or 'no delay' scenario and a '1-year delay' scenario assuming significant disruption in interventions (screening, diagnosis, and treatment) in the year 2020. Annual country-level model outcomes were extracted, and weighted averages were used to calculate regional (WHO and World Bank Income Group) and global estimates from 2020 to 2030. The incremental annual change in outcomes was calculated by subtracting the 'no-delay' estimates from the '1-year delay' estimates.

Results: The '1-year delay' scenario resulted in 44,800 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 43,800-49,300) excess hepatocellular carcinoma cases and 72,300 (95% UI: 70,600-79,400) excess liver-related deaths, relative to the 'no-delay' scenario globally, from 2020 to 2030. Most missed treatments would be in lower-middle income countries, whereas most excess hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related deaths would be among high-income countries.

Conclusions: The impact of COVID-19 extends beyond the direct morbidity and mortality associated with exposure and infection. To mitigate the impact on viral hepatitis programming and reduce excess mortality from delayed treatment, policy makers should prioritize hepatitis programs as soon as it becomes safe to do so.

Lay summary: COVID-19 has resulted in many hepatitis elimination programs slowing or stopping altogether. A 1-year delay in hepatitis diagnosis and treatment could result in an additional 44,800 liver cancers and 72,300 deaths from HCV globally by 2030. Countries have committed to hepatitis elimination by 2030, so attention should shift back to hepatitis programming as soon as it becomes appropriate to do so.

Keywords: COVID-19; Hepatitis C; Mathematical modelling; Viral hepatitis elimination.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest S.B., Z.C., E.D., C.E., I.G., S.M. and D.R-S. are employees of the Center for Disease Analysis Foundation (CDAF). CDAF has received funding for this work from the John C. Martin Foundation. Over the past 3 years, CDAF has received research funding from Gilead, AbbVie, and Vaccine Impact Modeling Consortium. CDAF has also received grants from CDC Foundation, John Martin Foundation, ASTHO, Zeshan Foundation, and private donors. L.A.K. has received teaching grants from AbbVie and Gilead. A.A. has received research grants from AbbVie and Gilead, and has participated on advisory boards for MSD, AbbVie, Gilead, Mylan, Intercept, and Alfasigma. J.M.P. has received grants from Abbott, AbbVie, and Gilead. He has also received consulting fees from AbbVie, Gilead, Merck, GSK, and Siemens Healthcare. H.R. has been a member of advisory boards for Gilead, AbbVie, Merck, and VBI Vaccines. All proceeds are donated to CDAF. He is the managing director of Center for Disease Analysis (CDA) and CDAF. I.W. has been an investigator for AbbVie, Novartis, Marcyrl, Onexeo, and Pharco. He has been a speaker and advisory board member for MSD, Bayer, Astra-Zeneca, and Eva-Pharma. S.Z. has received lecture honoraria and consulting fees for AbbVie, Allergan, Gilead, Intercept, Janssen, and Merck/MSD. A.C. has been an advisor and speaker and has received research grants from AbbVie, Bayer, BMS, Gilead, Intercept, and MSD. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details.

Copyright © 2020 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Figures

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Proportion of missed treatments by World Bank Income Group, as well as cumulative (2020–2030) excess incident HCV, HCC and LRDs, by World Bank Income Group, under the 1-year delay scenario. HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; LRDs, liver-related deaths; WB, World Bank.

Fig. 2

Impact of a 1-year delay on cumulative (2020–2030) liver-related deaths, by Global Burden of Disease region.