Ms Nicola Perry:

Absolutely. I am aware there are probably people listening to this meeting who may personally have been, or whose family or friends may have been, impacted by hepatitis C. Although it may sound like an ironic use of words, I often refer to this as a good news story because there is a cure. Not only is there a cure but we are in a system whereby that cure is available regardless of income. I have worked in addiction in this country for more than 20 years and I frequently say there is no cure per sefor addiction. We cannot give someone a tablet and expect it to be gone. There is no cure, by waving a wand, for poverty or trauma but with this particular issue there is a cure. In our experience with people, and this is so important, a person may feel as though he or she has failed at a lot of things throughout much of his or her life. If that person then does something about it, even the feeling he or she used to have something, regardless of its origins and the fact it is now gone, may leave a mark. The person may, as in Mr. Murphy's experience, physically feel better, but the emotional and mental impact can be very significant.