More than 3 million Americans have chronic Hepatitis C, a virus that can cause severe liver damage and death. It disproportionately affects Baby Boomers, as those born between 1945 and 1965 make up 75% of Hepatitis C cases. It’s  not just Boomers who suffer. In 2011 there was a 45% increase in acute Hepatitis C cases; likely reflecting a trend among young adults and adolescents. More than 15,000 people per year die from Hepatitis C, more than from HIV/AIDS. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplantations in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls hepatitis C the “Silent Epidemic” because 65-75% of the of people who have Hepatitis C don’t know they have it, placing them at great risk for cirrhosis, liver failure, and cancer.