Joseph Doyle

Joseph is a physician and researcher with a particular interest in the epidemiology, management and prevention of blood borne viruses (HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B).

With a background in clinical medicine, Joseph specialised in infectious diseases at the Alfred where he works as a consultant physician. He completed his MPH at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and his public health fellowship was undertaken at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory and Burnet Institute. His PhD at Burnet and Monash School of Population Health was focused on the effectiveness of early hepatitis C treatment.

Joseph is currently undertaking his NHMRC Postdoctoral Fellowship aiming to improve population health and treatment for hepatitis C infection at Burnet and Department of Infectious Diseases at Monash University. He is co-head of Viral Hepatitis Research and the clinical director of the hepatitis C TAP (Treatment and Prevention Study) at Burnet.

Hepatitis C affects over 230,000 people in Australia. Currently only 1–2% of people with chronic HCV are treated annually. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) has set targets to reduce new HCV infections by 80%, reduce deaths dues to HCV by 65% and eliminate HCV as a public health problem by 2030. With new, effective non-interferon-based treatments it should be possible for Australia to achieve these elimination targets. Key to our success in reducing HCV-related deaths and new infections in Australia will be the upscaling of treatment for all people with chronic HCV infection, including those currently transmitting HCV who are chiefly people you inject drugs. New community-based treatment programs in primary care, drug and alcohol services and community organisations are being rolled out locally.