Cécile Brouard, Alexandre Huneau, Daniel Dhumeaux, Adeline Verleene, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Valérie Canva, Yann Le Strat, Philippe Mathurin, Sabrina Cossais, Sylvie Deuffic-Burban, Josiane Pillonel, Françoise Roudot-Thoraval, Infection, Anti-microbiens, Modélisation, Evolution (IAME (UMR_S_1137 / U1137)), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université Paris 13 (UP13)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC), Lille Inflammation Research International Center - U 995 (LIRIC), Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire [Lille] (CHRU Lille)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lille-Institut Pasteur de Lille, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP)-Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP), Santé publique France - French National Public Health Agency [Saint-Maurice, France], Service de santé publique [Mondor], Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) (AP-HP)-Hôpital Henri Mondor-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12), Service des Maladies de l'Appareil Digestif et de la Nutrition [CHRU Lille], Hôpital Claude Huriez [Lille], CHU Lille-CHU Lille-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire [Lille] (CHRU Lille), Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale (IMRB), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-IFR10, Services de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales [CHU Bichat], AP-HP - Hôpital Bichat - Claude Bernard [Paris], Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) (AP-HP)-Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) (AP-HP), This work was supported by the French Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le Sida et les Hépatites virales, Université Paris 13 (UP13)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (USPC)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut Pasteur de Lille, Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP)-Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Université de Lille-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire [Lille] (CHRU Lille), and Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-IFR10-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)
BACKGROUND & AIMS: In Europe, hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening still targets people at high risk of infection. We aim to determine the cost-effectiveness of expanded HCV screening in France. METHODS: A Markov model simulated chronic hepatitis C (CHC) prevalence, incidence of events, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in the French general population, aged 18 to 80 years, undiagnosed for CHC for different strategies: S1 = current strategy targeting the at risk population; S2 = S1 and all men between 18 and 59 years; S3 = S1 and all individuals between 40 and 59 years; S4 = S1 and all individuals between 40 and 80 years; S5 = all individuals between 18 and 80 years (universal screening). Once CHC was diagnosed, treatment was initiated either to patients with fibrosis stage ≥F2 or regardless of fibrosis. Data were extracted from published literature, a national prevalence survey, and a previously published mathematical model. ICER were interpreted based on one or three times French GDP per capita (€32,800). RESULTS: Universal screening led to the lowest prevalence of CHC and incidence of events, regardless of treatment initiation. When considering treatment initiation to patients with fibrosis ≥F2, targeting all people aged 40-80 was the only cost-effective strategy at both thresholds (€26,100/QALY). When we considered treatment for all, although universal screening of all individuals aged 18-80 is associated with the highest costs, it is more effective than targeting all people aged 40-80, and cost-effective at both thresholds (€31,100/QALY). CONCLUSIONS: In France, universal screening is the most effective screening strategy for HCV. Universal screening is cost-effective when treatment is initiated regardless of fibrosis stage. From an individual and especially from a societal perspective of HCV eradication, this strategy should be implemented. LAY SUMMARY: In the context of highly effective and well tolerated therapies for hepatitis C virus that are now recommended for all patients, a reassessment of hepatitis C screening strategies is needed. An effectiveness and cost-effectiveness study of different strategies targeting either the at-risk population, specific ages or all individuals was performed. In France, universal screening is the most effective strategy and is cost-effective when treatment is initiated regardless of fibrosis stage. From an individual and especially from a societal perspective of hepatitis C virus eradication, this strategy should be implemented.