One-time hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing in persons aged ≥18 years is cost-effective and leads to improved clinical outcomes while identifying more persons with HCV than the current birth cohort recommendations. This according to study that used a simulation of HCV to estimate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of HCV testing strategies: 1) standard of care (SOC) – recommendations for 1-time testing for all persons born 1945-1965, 2) recommendation for 1-time testing for adults aged ≥40 years, 3) ≥30 years, and 4) ≥18 years. Researchers found:

• Expanded age-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing strategies increased US population lifetime case identification and cure rates, with the greatest increases in the ≥18 years strategy.
• Compared to the SOC, this strategy resulted in an estimated 256,000 additional infected persons identified and 280,000 additional cures at the lowest cost per QALY gained (ICER=$28,000/QALY).