Millions Remain at Risk: Why Europe May Miss Its Viral Hepatitis Elimination Target

Europe has made significant progress in the fight against hepatitis B and C, but uneven implementation of prevention measures means the region is unlikely to achieve the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, according to Medical Xpress.

New data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), released ahead of World Hepatitis Day, show that the greatest progress has been made among children. The prevalence of hepatitis B in children under the age of five is now close to zero across Europe.

Vaccination has been one of the main drivers of this success. Screening programs, infection prevention measures, safe blood donation practices, and modern antiviral treatments have also played a key role. All 30 countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU/EEA) have introduced mandatory or recommended hepatitis B screening for pregnant women, helping reduce mother-to-child transmission to below 2%.

According to the ECDC, the number of acute hepatitis B cases in Europe has steadily declined since 2006. Among people younger than 25, the proportion of reported acute cases fell from 11% in 2015 to 8% in 2024, reflecting the long-term impact of vaccination and prevention programs.

Despite this progress, viral hepatitis remains a major public health challenge. An estimated 5 million people across the EU/EEA are living with chronic hepatitis B or C, and nearly 60,000 people die each year from liver disease linked to these infections.

The biggest gaps remain in community-level prevention. Only 9 of 25 EU/EEA countries have achieved the WHO target of vaccinating at least 95% of children against hepatitis B, while vaccination coverage has begun to decline in some countries.

Another major concern is the spread of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs, where transmission is primarily associated with the use of non-sterile injecting equipment. Although harm reduction measures—including needle and syringe programs and opioid substitution therapy—have proven effective, their implementation remains limited. Only seven countries have reached WHO targets for providing access to sterile injecting equipment.

The ECDC and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) stress that expanding access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, including people in prisons, could substantially reduce viral transmission.

Overall, while Europe has made remarkable progress in combating viral hepatitis, experts say achieving the 2030 elimination target will require closing gaps between countries and ensuring equitable access to vaccination, testing, prevention and treatment services.