Managing Hepatitis C in Pakistan

Treating Hepatitis C in Pakistan. Strategies to Avoid Resistance to Antiviral Drugs

Queen Mary University of London · NCT04943588

This study is trying to see how well current hepatitis C treatments work in Pakistan and how they affect patients' lives, while also looking at the virus to understand why some treatments might not succeed.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment25000 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 100 Years
SexAll
SponsorQueen Mary University of London (other)
Locations1 site (Karachi)
Trial IDNCT04943588 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of current hepatitis C therapies in Pakistan, focusing on the emergence of viral resistance and the consequences of chronic infection, such as liver cancer. The study will assess the efficacy of government-sponsored treatments and develop models to determine the necessary proportion of the population that requires curative treatment to eliminate hepatitis C. Additionally, it will analyze the impact of the infection on patients' quality of life and healthcare expenditures through questionnaires. The study will also investigate viral factors that may influence treatment failure by sequencing the virus from participants.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are adults over 18 years old who are residents of the area and willing to undergo hepatitis C testing.

Not a fit: Patients with clinically significant illnesses or major medical conditions that may interfere with treatment or assessment will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved treatment strategies for hepatitis C, ultimately reducing the disease burden in Pakistan.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success in evaluating hepatitis C treatments, but this specific approach in the Pakistani context is novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults over 18yrs old
* Willing to undergo hepatitis C testing
* Able and willing to give informed consent
* Willing to return in 12 months time for repeat testing
* Resident in area and not planning to leave the region

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unwilling to give consent
* Unwilling or unable to undergo the necessary procedures
* Clinically significant illness (other than HCV) or other major medical condition that may interfere with the subject's treatment, assessment or compliance with protocol.
* Co-morbidities limiting life expectancy to less than 12 months

Where this trial is running

Karachi

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Hepatitis C, Chronic

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.