By Lukas Hestvik, Nance E Cunningham, Dr. Sofia Bartlett and Dr. Julia MacIsaac on May 27, 2026
About 90% of people who have hepatitis C virus (HCV) in BC have uncomplicated cases, meaning they do not have advanced liver cirrhosis or co-infection with HIV or hepatitis B, and can be treated in primary care. Treating HCV in my primary care practice has decreased several barriers to treatment for many of my patients and substantially improved their health.
By Drs. Shirley Jiang and Hin Hin Ko on March 9, 2022
While liver biopsy is crucial in determining the stage of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease, it is not the most accessible or appropriate test in most general practice settings. Non-invasive tests (NITs) for liver fibrosis, on the other hand, are more widely available and applicable to different liver conditions. NITs can be a useful tool in general practice to stratify high-risk patients who may require further investigations and referral to specialist care.
By Shirley Jiang, Edward Tam, and Hin Hin Ko on August 4, 2021
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is the most common autoimmune liver disease with an incidence of 1 in 1000 in women over age 40. For decades, the only evidence-based treatment was ursodeoxycholic acid. Unfortunately, the rate of inadequate response to UDCA is up to 40%. In 2017, Health Canada approved the use of obeticholic acid (OCA) for the treatment of PBC. UDCA remains first-line therapy for PBC with a long record of use and generic preparations but in non-responders, OCA treatment should be considered.
By Trana Hussaini Pharm D and Eric M. Yoshida MD FRCPC on November 13, 2019
For the first time, since the identification of hepatitis C virus, the goal of HCV elimination is a tangible and achievable target mainly due to the availability of highly efficacious and well tolerated DAA regimens.
By Dr. Paul Mullins on October 26, 2016
Alcoholic hepatitis (AH), perhaps more accurately described as alcohol-related cholestatic liver failure, is a clinical syndrome with high mortality. In severe AH at 28 days: 30-40%. STOPAH is a UK multi-centre, double-blind, randomized trial in severe AH to assess the effect of Prednisolone and/or Pentoxifylline on mortality at 28 days, and mortality or liver transplantation at 90 days and at one year.
By Dr. Eric Yoshida on July 18, 2011
This year, based on the phase III studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the FDA approved the new protease inhibitors, telapravir and boceprevir in combination with pegIFN and ribavirin for patients with HCV G1 infections.
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