Hepatitis C virus screening: UK Blood Transfusion Service on the threshold

The implications of testing all blood donations in the UK for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) are considered. Although the risks of serious liver disease arising from transfusion-transmitted HCV are relatively low in the UK, the cost of such screening will be high in terms of financial outlay and lost donations. In the UK, at least, screening of all blood donations for anti-HCV is unlikely to be as cost effective as screening for HBsAg or anti-HIV.