Health strategy on HCV in the Netherlands

The current basis for the health care policy on hepatitis C in The Netherlands is an advisory report of the national Health Council, published in 1997. The Council confirmed that : Chronic hepatitis C (HC) is to be considered as a serious disease ; the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be detected easily and accurately ; transmission of HCV occurs mainly via blood ; the prevalence of HC is low in The Netherlands and comparable to or somewhat lower than other countries in Northern Europe ; treatment is possible and worthwhile ; patients have the right to be provided spontaneously with relevant infor- mation ; the general population lacks adequate knowledge about the essentials of HCV infection, preventing them from taking ade- quate measures for their own health.