Hepatitis C Tests Urged for High-Risk Boomers

An influential group of experts says baby boomers at high risk of having hepatitis C infection should get tested. But the group did not endorse a recent government recommendation for even wider testing. The new advice is from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This group provides advice to doctors on preventive care. It is independent but government-sponsored. The task force said there’s enough evidence to support testing for people who have a higher than average risk of hepatitis C. That includes people who have used injection drugs and those who had blood transfusions before 1992. In May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said all baby boomers should get a one-time test. About 3 out of 4 people infected with hepatitis C are from this generation. But the actual numbers are low, about 3% to 4% of baby boomers.