Breakthroughs to Follow-Through
Closing the gap between discovery and delivery
The Breakthroughs to Follow-Through initiative will help states and local jurisdictions jump start progress on closing the discovery-to-delivery gap, beginning with hepatitis C, and expanding to tackle other illnesses – like HIV and 'curable' cancers – for which there is an effective care intervention that is not reaching the people who need it at scale.
By strengthening coordination across the health sector, investing in innovation, and leveraging technology, the Breakthroughs to Follow-Through Initiative will empower health teams to better identify, engage, treat, and follow through with patients, ultimately helping more people receive lifesaving therapies.
At least doubling hepatitis C cure rates
Science is no longer the barrier to curing hepatitis C. A highly effective oral medication can cure more than 95% of patients living with hepatitis C in as little as 8-12 weeks.
Yet despite this remarkable medical breakthrough, 40 Americans still die unnecessarily from hepatitis C every day, and hundreds of thousands more – nearly two out of every three people living with the disease – remain untreated each day, leaving them at risk for severe and sometimes fatal liver damage.
The challenge now lies in ensuring that the cure reaches the people who need it through better coordination between public health, health care delivery systems, and community-based non-profits.
Equipping jurisdictions with the expertise and technology they need to cure more residents
The Common Health Coalition will work with state health departments, clinical organizations, and community partners to implement local, innovative solutions to at least double each jurisdiction’s cure rate. OpenAI Foundation has invested $100 million in supporting this initiative.
Breakthroughs to Follow-Through will support local collaborations through technical assistance, implementation expertise, cross-jurisdiction learning, evaluation, and the responsible deployment of AI-enabled tools, equipping frontline teams with the resources and knowledge needed to double hepatitis C cure rates in their communities.
EqualCure, a national leader in hepatitis C treatment, will lead the Hepatitis C Center of Excellence for the initiative, providing clinical technical expertise for local collaborations. A suite of expert advisors will provide additional technical assistance and support across data management, community engagement, workforce, and clinical innovation.