Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic fibrosis (2019)

Hepatic fibrosis is a reparative response of diffuse over‐deposition and abnormal distribution of extracellular matrix (collagen, glycoprotein and proteoglycans) after exposure to various kinds of liver injuries, and is a key step in the developmental process of various chronic liver diseases leading to cirrhosis. Recently, many advances in our understanding of hepatic fibrosis have been obtained through basic and clinical research. Therefore, this consensus summarizes and offers 15 evidence‐based recommendations on the diagnosis and evaluation of hepatic fibrosis, its treatment, drug development and applications.