The Swiss Hepatitis Strategy
The Swiss Hepatitis Strategy is the most important project of Swiss Hepatitis. Since 2014, a network of volunteers has been working on the elimination of viral hepatitis in Switzerland. The network consists of 80 personalities, including medical professionals, patient representatives, representatives from the business community, insurers and health policy makers. The network has developed a strategy for the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030. The elimination targets of the World Health Organization (WHO), which first published them in 2016, served as a guideline. The Swiss Hepatitis Strategy therefore aims to achieve the following goals:
Reduction of 95% by 2030 of
- new infections of hepatitis B and C
- mortality rate due to viral hepatitis
- viremic cases of hepatitis C
- liver transplants due to viral hepatitis
- of liver cancer cases due to viral hepatitis
As well as the increase of the
- hepatitis B vaccination rates up 95%
- hepatitis C diagnosis rates by 90%
In 2019, the elimination targets were included in the "Roadmap for eliminating HIV/AIDS and hepatitis in Switzerland" of the Federal Commission for Sexually Transmitted Infections (FCSI). In the 2020 summer session, Parliament passed a motion calling for the inclusion of elimination targets for viral hepatitis in the next national HIV program. Viral hepatitis is now part of a new national program: from 2024, the national program (NAPS) "National programme (NAPS): Stop HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses and sexually transmitted infections" applies.
The so-called Flagship Projects, which have emerged from the network to fill gaps and are implemented by Swiss Hepatitis, serve to implement the goals. The network members meet twice a year to review progress and discuss measures. They are organised into four steering groups covering the areas of «Prevention and Awareness», «Testing and Surveillance», «Access to Treatment», «High Risk Groups» and «Finances».
Studies and articles
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The Swiss Hepatitis Strategy as a model for facing future health policy challenges
Blindenbacher R, Maeschli B, Bruggmann P
Health Policy, Volume 123, Issue 7, July 2019, Pages 681-687; 01.07.2019 -
Hepatitis C micro-elimination among people on opioid agonist therapy is a low-hanging fruit
Bruggmann P, Maeschli B
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20348; 18.09.2020 -
Die Elimination von viraler Hepatitis: ein grosser Beitrag an die Krebsprävention
Bruggmann P, Maeschli B, Mertens J, Müllhaupt B
Schweizer Krebsbulletin 1/2020; 01.01.2020 -
Hepatitis C Virus Infections in the Swiss HIVCohort Study: A Rapidly Evolving Epidemic
Wandeler G et al.
Clinical Infectious Disease 2012:55; 15.11.2012 -
Microelimination of chronic hepatitis C in Switzerland: modelling the Swiss Hepatitis Strategy goals in eastern, western and northern regions
Rusch U, Robbins S, Razavi H, Vernazza P, Blach S, Bruggmann P, et al.
Swiss Med Wkly. 2019;149:w14694; 23.01.2019 -
Controlling HCV in Switzerland: running against the clock
Cerny A, Blindenbacher R, Moriggia A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2019;149:w20005; 24.03.2019 -
Progress toward implementing the Swiss Hepatitis Strategy: Is HCV elimination possible by 2030?
Müllhaupt B, Bruggmann P, Bihl F, Blach S, Lavanchy D, Razavi H, et al.
PLoS ONE 13(12): e0209374; 31.12.2018 -
Cost-effectiveness analysis of strategies to manage the disease burden of hepatitis C virus in Switzerland
Blach S, Schaetti C, Bruggmann P, Negro F, Razavi H
Swiss Med Wkly. 2019;149:w20026; 24.03.2019