Hepatitis C physician toolkit now available!

The AMA is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division for Viral Hepatitis to distribute and evaluate a physician toolkit on management of Hepatitis C.  Included in the Toolkit are posters and pamphlets to use in the physician's office to inform patients if they are at risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the importance of being tested.   A booklet is included that gives an overview of important hepatitis C topics, as is a HCV testing flow chart, a hepatitis C testing reference table, and a CD-ROM that offers CME accredited hepatitis C training and PDA downloadable reference files.  This toolkit can be downloaded on the CDC's web site at www.cdc.gov/hepatitis.

Hepatitis C virus infection is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States. About 2.7 million Americans are chronically infected with HCV and most are not aware of their infection.  Most infected persons are in the prime of their life and if they don’t receive medical evaluation, counseling, and possibly treatment, they might develop cirrhosis or liver cancer later in life.