Principles for implementing a population screening strategy for hepatitis C in Spain

Background: hepatitis C, besides health impairment, results in significant loss of productivity and diminished quality of life, and noticeably contributes to health expenditure increases. Because of all this, the Spanish Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social - MSCBS) implemented in 2015 a strategic plan for managing hepatitis C (Plan Estrategico para el Abordaje de la Hepatitis C - PEAHC) within the National Health System. However, the PEAHC includes no screening plan.The MSCBS developed a framework document on population screening (Documento Marco sobre Cribado Poblacional) that defines the criteria a disease must meet in order to consider implementing a screening program. Specifically, it defines 4 criteria related to the health issue, 4 related to the screening test, and 3 criteria dealing with diagnosis confirmation and treatment. Objective: to identify whether there is scientific evidence to support hepatitis C meeting the criteria to be considered a disease qualifying for a population screening strategy in Spain. Methods: a literature search for scientific evidence concerning each required criterion for implementing a population screening plan for hepatitis C in Spain. Results: sufficient scientific evidence was found to support hepatitis C meeting the criteria required by the MSCBS for the implementation of a population screening program. Conclusions: according to the available scientific evidence, hepatitis C in Spain meets the required criteria to qualify for consideration of population screening plan.