Over 100 labs across 42 municipalities offer free hepatitis C testing this Monday

The Clinical Laboratories Association of Puerto Rico (ALCPR) will activate a massive free hepatitis C testing campaign this Monday, July 28, across more than 100 laboratories in 42 municipalities island-wide ¹. The initiative, which coincides with World Hepatitis Day, is called "Get Tested. Change the Story" and requires no appointment, no insurance, and no referral — just a photo ID ¹.

The campaign arrives at a critical moment. According to Department of Health data cited by ALCPR, Puerto Rico accumulated 17,811 confirmed hepatitis C cases through the end of 2025, with another 2,347 new cases added in the first quarter of 2026 alone ¹. The disease disproportionately affects men between ages 35 and 64, and fewer than 3% of adults on the island get tested each year ¹.

The silent enemy

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the HCV virus transmitted through contact with contaminated blood — shared needles, tattoos or piercings at facilities without proper sterilization, and intravenous drug use ². The danger is that many infected people show no symptoms for years or even decades ². By the time symptoms appear — fatigue, jaundice, dark urine, easy bleeding — liver damage may already be severe ².

Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer in Puerto Rico, with 287 annual diagnoses in men and 118 in women ¹. The five-year survival rate for liver cancer is just 16.5% ¹. But there is a game-changing fact: hepatitis C is curable. Direct-acting antiviral medications (DAAs) achieve cure rates of 97% to 98% with oral treatments lasting just 8 to 12 weeks ¹².

"A simple test can change someone's story. Early diagnosis opens the door to treatment, prevents complications, and improves quality of life," said Felipe Cintron, ALCPR president ¹.

Reflex testing: diagnosis in a single visit

One of the key innovations in this campaign is the use of Reflex testing. Instead of requiring two separate visits — one for the antibody test and another for viral load confirmation — Reflex testing uses the same blood sample for both analyses automatically ¹. If the antibody test comes back positive, the laboratory proceeds directly to the confirmatory RNA viral load test without the patient having to return.

"Confirming the diagnosis stops the disease. Each treated patient breaks the chain of transmission," noted Dr. Juan Rexach, ALCPR board member ¹.

What this means for you

If you are between 18 and 79 years old, the CDC recommends getting tested at least once in your lifetime. In Puerto Rico, where estimated prevalence significantly exceeds rates on the U.S. mainland ¹, that recommendation is even more urgent.

How to do it / Checklist

1. Visit alcpr.org to find the nearest participating laboratory in your municipality.
2. Show up on Monday, July 28, with your photo ID.
3. No appointment, medical referral, or insurance needed — the test is completely free.
4. The process takes approximately 15-20 minutes including the blood draw.
5. If your result is positive, the laboratory will automatically run the confirmatory test using the same sample.
6. Pick up your results and bring them to your primary care doctor.
7. For more information, visit hepapuertorico.org or call ALCPR at 787-759-6245.

What comes next

The July 28 campaign is part of a broader effort. Puerto Rico's Department of Health has a viral hepatitis elimination plan in effect through 2027, but experts warn that significant barriers remain ². Organizations like VOCES Puerto Rico are driving awareness campaigns focused on vulnerable populations ³.

With fewer than 3% of adults getting tested annually and more than 2,000 new cases in just the first three months of 2026, the window to act is now.

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Sources ¹ Metro Puerto Rico, July 26, 2026 ² Hepa Puerto Rico ³ El Nuevo Día, June 22, 2026