This new class of HCV drugs, which are much easier on the human body and virtually free of side effects, attacks the virus directly and can reduce the viral load to zero when taken correctly.

A cure exists for HCV. We can't let cost barriers to accessing life-saving medication impose a death sentence. The time is now to expand access to all who need it.

After a long dry spell, the pharmaceutical research industry has brought to market a spate of innovative treatments that can extend life and often have fewer side effects than older treatments. But these medicines are not affordable to most of the people who need them.

Drug companies must be held accountable to ensure that treatment is truly accessible to those who need it most. Making a cure available to all is not only the right thing to do, it is necessary to comply with the law, and to prevent the spread of Hepatitis C.

With greater attention to hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment we hopefully can turn the tide of preventable hepatitis C deaths.