Why would someone with hepatitis C still need to have a liver biopsy even though it is no longer a requirement for government funded treatment?

On April 1st 2006 the mandatory requirement for a liver biopsy prior to access to government-subsidised hepatitis C antiviral treatment was removed. Nonetheless, doctors may still recommend that some people have a liver biopsy. Liver biopsies are not recommended lightly because there is a relatively low, but real risk associated with the procedure. Therefore, the final decision to proceed with a biopsy should be made by the individual person and their treating doctor after a full discussion of risks and benefits. Liver biopsy will remain an important part of the treatment assessment process for the following people with hepatitis C: • People with hepatitis C genotype 1 and a high viral load – the rate of treatment success in this group is less than 50%, therefore, many individuals may prefer to defer treatment if they have minimal liver damage. • People who have not responded to previous interferon treatment – treatment success is relatively low, particularly in people with previous ...  more