EU MUST WAKE UP TO THREAT FROM HEPATITUS C

12.00.00am GMT Fri 16th Mar 2007

Liz Lynne, Lib Dem MEP for the West Midlands region was today delighted at the adoption of a European Parliament written declaration on Hepatitis C and called for more action to prevent Europe's 'silent killer'.

Hepatitis C is a disease which affects an estimated 12 million people across Europe, and yet many of those who are infected are unaware that they have the disease, until it attacks their liver, causing cirrhosis, failure or cancer and thus requiring transplantation.

Commenting today Liz said:

"Hepatitis C is a 'silent killer' that often goes undetected, whilst those that are diagnosed frequently suffer from stigmatisation"

"It is vital that hepatitis C is viewed as an immediate public health issue and that measures are taken now to combat its spread, including hepatitis C screening to ensure early diagnosis and wider access to treatment and care."

"Healthcare workers in particular must be better protected from blood-borne infections due to needlestick injuries. Many workers face an intolerable wait to know if they have been infected after accidents with infected medical instruments and needles; this has to end"

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

A Written Declaration needs half of the signatures from Members to be forwarded to the Council and Commission. This Written Declaration received 410 signatures and was therefore adopted, forcing a debate in the European Parliament.

Written declarations that have succeeded include a European ban on the import of seal products, on the live transport of animals and more recently on the import of cat and dog fur