After more than two decades in medical education focused on viral hepatitis, I’ve had the privilege of watching one of the most significant therapeutic transformations in modern medicine—alongside some of its most persistent implementation challenges.
Nowhere is this more evident than in hepatitis C. Treatment has moved from interferon-based regimens with limited efficacy and substantial tolerability challenges to short-course oral therapies that can cure >95% of patients. That kind of progress is extraordinary—and deeply rewarding to have witnessed.
The challenge has shifted
But as the science has advanced, the challenge has shifted. Today, the central issue in hepatitis C is not whether we can cure—it’s whether we are identifying and reaching the patients who need care. Too many individuals remain undiagnosed or disconnected from treatment, particularly in underserved settings. This is where education must evolve alongside science.
I’m especially proud of Decera Clinical Education's recent collaboration with the Street Medicine Institute—recognized with the Alliance Outstanding Collaboration Award—which focused on equipping clinicians working in street-based and nontraditional care settings to identify and treat hepatitis C. Efforts like this are critical to translating therapeutic innovation into real-world impact.
How much work remains
At the same time, the broader hepatitis landscape underscores how much work remains.
The recently published WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 highlights both meaningful progress and a stark reality: despite effective vaccines, preventive strategies, and curative therapies, viral hepatitis still causes approximately 1.3 million deaths annually and the world is not on track to meet 2030 elimination goals.
An estimated 287 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B or C globally, yet treatment coverage—particularly for hepatitis B, where fewer than 5% receive therapy—remains strikingly low.
Encouragingly, we are seeing meaningful momentum in hepatitis delta and a rapidly evolving pipeline in hepatitis B, raising the possibility that these fields could follow a transformational path to close these gaps.
Scientific progress alone is not sufficient
If there is one throughline across the past 20 years, it is this: scientific progress alone is not sufficient.
Closing the gap between scientific evidence and activation in clinical practice requires sustained investment in education—education that is practical, community-oriented, and designed to reach clinicians where care is actually happening.
As a field, CME has a critical role to play in that final mile.
