DAA trends

Treatment trends

A total of 105947 people initiated DAA therapy for chronic HCV infection in Australia through the PBS during 2016 to 2023. The number of new treatment initiations declined between 2016 to 2022. In 2023, the number of people initiating treatment exceeded the number initiating treatment in 2022. This is the first annual increase in treatment initiations since DAAs were listed on the PBS. The annual number of individuals initiating DAA treatment included 32458 in 2016, 21249 in 2017, 15355 in 2018, 11433 in 2019, 8215 in 2020, 6563 in 2021, 5175 in 2022, and 5499 in 2023. Annual DAA treatment initiations and retreatments in Australia are illustrated in Figure 1. F In 2023, the number of individuals initiating treatment increased from 1316 in the first quarter to 1437 in the third quarter, declining to 1332 in the last quarter. Quarterly DAA treatment initiations, retreatments and total DAA courses dispensed in Australia are illustrated in Figure 2.

Retreatment

The number of individuals receiving retreatment increased during 2016 to 2023. By end 2023, 10567 (10%) of the treated population had been retreated at least once. Individuals retreated for the first time were 113 in 2016, 732 in 2017, 1024 in 2018, 1921 in 2019, 1800 in 2020, 1576 in 2021, 1512 in 2022 and 1889 in 2023. By end 2023, 2215 (21%) of the retreated population had been retreated multiple times. Total retreatments dispensed were 13456.

Treatment and retreatments

Considering all treatment and retreatments, the total number of DAAs dispensed in Australia was 119412. During 2023, the total number of DAAs dispensed increased, rising from 7329 in 2022 to 8382 in 2023. The increases in DAAs dispensed during 2023 were largely due to increases in retreatments. In 2023, 35% of all DAA prescriptions in Australia were retreatments.