This briefing has been prepared to mark World Hepatitis Day on 28 July 2019 and contains information on hepatitis B and C globally.
Combatting Hepatitis B and C: Elimination by 2030? (208 KB , PDF)
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The most common forms of hepatitis are caused by hepatitis viruses, of which there are five main types. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that these are of greatest concern because of the “burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread”. It cites types B and C as most concerning. These lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people globally and, taken together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer. The WHO also believes the condition is being overlooked.
Viral hepatitis B and C affect 325 million people worldwide, leading to about 1.4 million deaths a year. It is the second major killer infectious disease after tuberculosis, and 9 times more people are infected with hepatitis than HIV. Deaths from hepatitis have been increasing over the past two decades, which points to a lack of global awareness and action, including among top decision-makers.
The need to combat hepatitis globally forms one of the targets under the sustainable development goals. These were agreed by UN member states, including the UK, in 2015. The WHO subsequently set the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a “major public health threat” by 2030 and reducing the mortality rate by 10% by 2020. The UK Government has stated it is committed to the goal of eliminating hepatitis C (the most common form of the virus in the UK) by 2030.
World Hepatitis Day is held annually on 28 July and is promoted by the World Hepatitis Alliance. This year’s theme is ‘Invest in Eliminating Hepatitis’.
Combatting Hepatitis B and C: Elimination by 2030? (208 KB , PDF)
This briefing is the fifth of a series on the post-war history of the UK economy. The series proceeds decade-by-decade from the 1950s onwards, providing an overview of the key macroeconomic developments of each decade. This fifth briefing looks at the 1990s. In this decade the UK economy settled into a period of low inflation and steady growth; however, living standards growth was lower and more regionally concentrated than in previous decades.
The Budget Responsibility Bill would require ministers to request an assessment from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) for every major fiscal announcement and give the OBR the power to decide to publish one if the minister failed to request it. This follows the September 2022 ‘mini-budget’. The statement included plans that would have resulted in a projected £45bn reduction in tax income. It did not have an accompanying OBR assessment.
Between 1970 and the early 1990s, over 30,000 NHS patients were given blood transfusions, or treatments made using blood products, which were contaminated with hepatitis C or HIV. Over 3,000 people have since died, and thousands more live with health conditions. The infected blood inquiry called for immediate compensation, public memorials, and for lessons to be learned in medicine, government and the civil service. In August 2024 the government set out plans for compensation.
