Doctors Push For Hepatitis C Screening In Prison

Wed., Feb. 17, 1999

Medical professionals tried to convince a House committee Tuesday that screening the state’s 13,800 prison inmates for hepatitis C would be among the best ways to slow the disease’s spread.

But lawmakers seemed taken aback by the cost: roughly $7.7 million.

Dr. Larry Schueler, a physician who has worked at the prison in Clallam Bay, told the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee that by some estimates, 40 percent of the prison population could be carrying the hepatitis C virus.

The disease is transmitted through blood, and is frequently associated with intravenous drug use. It kills up to 10,000 people a year nationwide, and that number is expected to triple by 2015.

But the screening - about $10 or $20 per person - is only part of the cost. Treatment for people who’ve contracted the disease can cost hundreds of dollars a week for several weeks.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.