New hepatitis C guidelines for the Asia–Pacific region: APASL consensus statements on the diagnosis, management and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection

This issue of the Journal features the revised Asia–Pacific Consensus Statements on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment.1 These guidelines have been developed by the region's hepatology society, the Asia–Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL). They update the original year 2000 consensus statements on prevention and management of hepatitis B and C in the Asia–Pacific region, also written by APASL in collaboration with the Journal.2,3 The present working party, co-chaired by Professors Geoff McCaughan (University of Sydney) and Masao Omata (Tokyo University), must be congratulated on undertaking and completing this ambitious set of statements, and presenting them to the Annual Scientific Meeting of APASL in Kyoto, Japan, on 27–29 March 2007. The need…