Research and analysis
Hepatitis C: risk in healthcare workers pre 2007 clearance review
An evaluation of the 2007 Department of Health policy on hepatitis C virus clearance for healthcare workers performing exposure prone procedures.
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United Kingdom Advisory Panel for healthcare workers infected with bloodborne viruses (UKAP) prepared this report as supporting evidence to recommend the Chief Medical Officers of the 4 countries in the UK with concerns over the hepatitis C risk:
- among the cohort of exposure prone procedure (EPP) performing healthcare workers (HCWs) in the UK
- who were employed before 2007 (preceding the Department of Health’s 2007 guidance: Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: new healthcare workers)
UKAP demonstrated no evidence, at that point in time, of transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections from HCW to patient since 2007, although the possibility of undetected transmission event(s) could not be ruled out.
UKAP recommended that the 2007 health clearance guidance should not be amended to include the pre 2007 cohort.
Published 30 November 2020