Department of Health awareness campaign update

A further national advertising campaign encouraging people to consider whether they might have been at risk of contracting hepatitis C is being launched by the Department of Health on 19 November 2007.

The campaign will run for a four-week period initially (until 16 December) and will feature in national newspapers and on regional radio stations across England. Adverts will also appear in the top ten Asian press titles as part of the campaign’s drive to raise awareness of the virus among the South Asian community, which is estimated to have a higher prevalence of the virus than the general population.

The press advert, which was first published in March 2007, is in the form of a self-assessment flow chart and encourages readers to think about the ways in which hepatitis C is transmitted and whether they may have been at risk

The radio advert, also first heard in March, focuses on the silent and “devious” nature of the virus and encourages listeners to seek further information.

Both adverts direct people to the Hepatitis C Information Line, the FaCe It website or their GP for more information.

Further advertising is planned to take place from mid-January to March 2008.