On World Hepatitis Day, Hepatitis C Elimination Coalition Calls on Congress to Act Now to Pass the Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025

July 28, 2025

(Washington, DC)- Today, on this year's World Hepatitis Day, a coalition of organizations representing patients, health care providers, and public health systems is calling on Congress to seize a historic opportunity to eliminate a devastating disease by passing the bipartisan Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025 (S.1941) introduced by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

"We urge Congress to act now. With the tools already available, we can cure hepatitis C, save thousands of lives, and dramatically reduce health care costs nationwide,"said Tim Leshan, Chief External Relations and Advocacy Officer for the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) and member of the Hepatitis C Elimination Coalition.

Hepatitis C remains a major public health threat, with estimates that at least 4 million Americans are chronically infected. Known as a "silent killer," the disease can progress for years without symptoms while causing irreversible liver damage and increasing the risk for other chronic conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease. Without early diagnosis and treatment, hepatitis C can lead to liver cirrhosis, cancer, and even death. The only last-resort option, liver transplantation, is expensive, limited, and inaccessible for many. Each year, one in five patients awaiting liver transplants dies or becomes too ill to receive one.

Yet, a cure exists. For over a decade, safe and effective oral medications have been available, curing more than 95% of patients in just eight to 12 weeks. The barriers to eliminating hepatitis C are no longer medical; they are structural: lack of screening, treatment access, and funding.

The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025 offers a clear solution. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects it will save $6.5 billion over ten years, and the legislation includes:

• $9.7 billion through 2031 to support rapid screening, treatment access, and wraparound services

• Funding to empower state and local public health systems, community health centers, opioid treatment programs, and correctional facilities

• Resources to integrate hepatitis C care into broader prevention efforts and build sustainable health infrastructure

Several states, including Louisiana, Washington, and Texas, have already piloted similar strategies with substantial success in reducing hepatitis C prevalence. The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2025 (S.1941) offers a national blueprint to scale these results, enabling the US to finally bring this epidemic under control.

"For every one million people cured over the next decade, we can prevent 34,000 cases of liver cancer, 2,500 liver transplants, and 24,000 deaths," says Leshan.

This World Hepatitis Day, we stand united in our commitment to eliminate hepatitis C for all Americans. We respectfully urge Congress to pass S.1941, the Cure Hepatitis C Act, this year. The time to act is now.

Media Contact:

Tim Leshan, MPA
Chief External Relations and Advocacy Officer
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

On behalf of the Hepatitis C Elimination Coalition

[email protected]
202-296-1099 ext. 132

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