Policies & Research

Does Hep C Hold the Key to HIV?

One of the big mysteries in the research on an HIV cure might have its explanation in hepatitis C. It’s seen as the greatest challenge in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)…

Thousands of Australians received infected blood, over decades. Now they’ll have their say

From the 1970s to the 1990s, an estimated 3,500–8,500 Australians acquired HIV or hepatitis C through infected blood or blood products. The exact number isn’t known and it may be substantially higher. Many people likely died without knowing they had been infected.

Australian Company Researching Potential Hepatitis B/Hepatitis D Treatment

Sydney-based pharmaceutical company Biotron is investigating a new drug candidate that shows promise in treating both hepatitis B and hepatitis D. Hepatitis B on its own is in desperate need…

Global Wins Against Hepatitis

As Australia struggles to meet its 2030 targets for viral hepatitis elimination, it is instructive to look at successes elsewhere in the world. Four Nations Seeking Elimination As an example,…

Failing to eliminate hepatitis by 2030 will cost $2.6 billion

Australia faces more than $2.6 billion in avoidable costs by 2030 if it fails to meet national hepatitis B and hepatitis C elimination targets, new modelling released by Hepatitis Australia…

Independent Review Recommends Inquiry on Life Insurance for People Living with Blood-borne Viruses

People living with HIV continue to be denied insurance coverage or are offered coverage on substantially less favourable terms, reinforcing financial insecurity.

Hepatitis C & Overactive Bladder

There is a significant association between living with the hepatitis C virus and suffering from overactive bladder syndrome (OAB), according to a study published in the journal BMC Urology. The bladder has a…

The over‑50s are most likely to overdose. Here’s how older people use drugs

Latest figures from the Pennington Institute show that older Australians make up the highest proportion of unintentional overdose deaths.

Australia’s Deadliest Year of Drug Overdoses

New data from the Penington Institute has revealed that 2,272 Australians died of drug-induced deaths in 2023, with the rate of unintentional overdoses increasing to nearly 80 per cent. On average,…

New Hep B Drug Results: How good is it?

Pharmaceutical giant, GSK, who seem to be leading the field in developing a hepatitis B functional cure, has finally presented the results on their new drug, bepirovirsen. The 254 million…

4474 Lives Saved, But Targets Will Not Be Met

Powerful new data from the 2024 annual report for Measuring the progress towards the targets of the National Hepatitis B Strategy (launched by The Peter Doherty Institute at the end…

In Our Library: May 2026 Highlights

The national hepatitis strategies, Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project reports, and more… Click on the images to access, or view all resources added in the last month Sixth national hepatitis C strategy 2025…

China Deal on Potential Hep B Cure

Pharmaceutical giant GSK has announced that it has entered into an exclusive collaboration with the Hong Kong-based pharma company Sino Biopharmaceutical to sell in mainland China, a chronic ​hepatitis B…

Elimination –Urgent Global Action Needed

Urgent scale-up of global action is needed if the world is to meet its target of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. This was the clear message from the World Health…