Action needed on hepatitis C

1.33.41pm GMT Mon 26th Feb 2007

London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford has signed a European Parliament 'written declaration' on hepatitis C, adding her support to calls for EU-wide action to combat this disease.

Sarah said:

"We urgently need greater public awareness and better funding for research into hepatitis C - a disease known as a 'silent killer' because people who have contracted it often show no initial symptoms. Indeed, scientists estimate that 90% of people carrying the virus have not been diagnosed."

"MEPs are now calling on the Commission and the Council to recognise hepatitis C as the urgent public health issue it is, to recommend hepatitis C screening across all member states and to ensure early diagnosis, wider access to treatment and more support for sufferers."

Notes

The full text of the written declaration is available at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+WDECL+P6-DCL-2006-0087+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

For more information on hepatitis C go to the Hepatitis C Trust website at http://www.hepcuk.info/data/UserContentRoot/Home/