Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with direct‐acting antiviral agents: 100% cure?

Abstract Around 71 million people are chronically infected with HCV worldwide. HCV antiviral drug development has been remarkable. The availability of pangenotypic direct‐acting antivirals with excellent efficacy and good tolerability profiles offer a unique opportunity to achieve HCV elimination worldwide. IFN ‐free DAA combinations can now cure HCV in more than 95% of patients with HCV infection after 8‐12 weeks of treatment. Programmes to eliminate HCV must include increased screening (risk‐based and universal), linkage to care, as well as increased access to treatment worldwide. In this paper, we will review the available data on recently approved direct‐acting antiviral agents, with sustained virological response that reaches almost 100%.