HCV Council--critical appraisal of data: recommendations for clinical practice in a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape.
OBJECTIVE
HCV Council 2014, like its predecessor HCV Council 2011, assembled leading clinicians and researchers in the field of hepatitis C to critically evaluate current data regarding best practices for managing patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV).


METHODS
Clinical practice statements were developed that reflect the areas of potential controversy with high clinical impact. Faculty members were responsible for reviewing the literature to support or reject these statements. After a review and comprehensive discussion of the data, the HCV Council faculty voted on the nature of the evidence and the level of support for each statement.


RESULTS
The results of the detailed analysis with expert opinion are summarized in this article.


CONCLUSIONS
Numerous questions regarding optimal management of certain populations and clinical scenarios remain unanswered. The discussion in the article provides a summary of evidenced-based expert opinion that may help guide clinicians as additional information is developed.
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Nancy
N
Reau
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Michael W
MW
Fried
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
David R
DR
Nelson
Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Robert S
RS
Brown
University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
Gregory T
GT
Everson
Henry Ford Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
Stuart C
SC
Gordon
Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
Ira M
IM
Jacobson
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Joseph K
JK
Lim
Scripps Translational Science Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Paul J
PJ
Pockros
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
K Rajender
KR
Reddy
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Kenneth E
KE
Sherman
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D019985:Benchmarking; D032921:Consensus; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D014773:Virology / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends
D000998:Antiviral Agents
direct-acting antiviral; genotype 1a and 1b; genotype 2; genotype 3; hepatitis C virus