Pamela Anderson, 59, reflected on beating hepatitis C following a terminal diagnosis, in remarks at the Venice Film Festival's amfAR Gala this past weekend.
"Back in the late '90s, when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C, there was no cure," Anderson said in her remarks. "I'm sure that colored and corrupted my decisions. It was not fear of death but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out."
Anderson commented while accepting an award at the Sept. 6 gala, noting that when she received her Hepatitis C diagnosis in the 1990s she was told she would only have 10 years to live.
The "Baywatch" star initially announced her diagnosis of the bloodborne infection that causes liver inflammation in 2002. She was cured in 2015
following a new antiviral drug treatment.
The once-fatal disease is now highly curable with antiviral drugs, though access to treatment remains an issue globally, with about 47 million people impacted by chronic hepatitis C infections worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
Here's what to know about Pamela Anderson's health.
Is Pamela Anderson cured of hepatitis C?
Yes, Pamela Anderson announced in 2015 that she was hepatitis free. The actress discussed her recovery journey while receiving an award at the amfAR Gala in Venice on Sept. 6 amid the Venice Film Festival.
"Back in the late '90s, when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C, there was no cure," Anderson said in her remarks. "I'm sure that colored and corrupted my decisions. It was not fear of death but fear of what might happen to my young children. It turned my life inside out."
In a previous interview with Larry King on CNN, Anderson said she participated in a yearlong treatment regimen for hepatitis C, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and compared the treatment to a year of "having the flu," which she described as injections of the antiviral drug interferon.
"I'm grateful to say now that I am hep C free," Anderson said, as the audience applauded, in the CNN interview. "But my experience of shame and guilt was also still an unconscious journey. It stays with me. It haunts me."
How did Pamela Anderson get hepatitis C?
Anderson said she got Hepatitis C by by sharing a tattoo needle with ex-husband rock drummer Tommy Lee, she said when she disclosed her diagnosis in 2002, USA TODAY reported. Lee has denied this.
What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, marked by liver inflammation and damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The illness can be acute or chronic, with chronic infection impacting around 47 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization.
The infection spreads when infected blood enters the body, from drug use to sexual activity, unsterilized tattoo, piercing or health care practices, or other situations involving contact with blood.
Common symptomsof the different types of viral hepatitis include:
- Aching joints
- Dark-colored pee
- Fatigue
- Feeling sick to your stomach
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Pale or clay-colored poop
- Skin or white of your eyes looks yellow (jaundice)
- Stomach pain
Is hepatitis C still fatal?
While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C and it can be fatal if left untreated, the disease is curable with treatment. A regimen of prescribed antiviral medications that stop the spread of the virus, the Cleveland Clinic said.
Who is Pamela Anderson?
Born Pamela Denise Anderson in Ladysmith, Canada, she is an actress and model whose nearly four-decade career has featured dozens of television shows and films, along with a Broadway appearance.
She is known for starring as lifeguard Casey Jean Parker in the iconic drama television series "Baywatch" and as showgirl Shelly Gardner in the showbiz drama film "The Last Showgirl." She also appeared in Playboy magazine and appeared in the "Naked Gun" along with Liam Neeson.
Anderson has two sons, Dylan Anderson Lee and Brandon Thomas Lee, with former husband and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.
How is heptatitis C different from hepatitis A, B, D, E?
While hepatitis always indicates liver inflammation, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are three distinct viruses that spread in different ways, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hepatitis C is bloodborne and caused by the hepatitis C virus. WHO estimated that in 2024, approximately 239,000 people died from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).
Hepatitis A comes from the hepatitis A virus and is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infectious person. Almost everyone recovers fully from hepatitis A with a lifelong immunity.
Hepatitis B comes from the hepatitis B virus and spreads via bodily fluids, the CDC noted. The virus is most commonly transmitted from mother to child during birth and delivery, in early childhood, as well as through contact with blood or other body fluids during sex with an infected partner, unsafe injections or exposures to sharp instruments, the WHO said. In 2024, hepatitis B resulted in an estimated 1.1 million deaths, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).
People who have hepatitis B may get hepatitis D. The hepatitis D virus (HDV) needs HBV to survive and spread. Hepatitis Dspreads through unprotected sex and sharing of needles.
Thehepatitis Evirus (HEV) typically goes away without treatment. But you’ll need treatment if you’re pregnant. Hepatitis E in pregnancy can cause pregnancy complications or liver failure. You may have exposure to the virus by drinking water that contains traces of poop from someone with the virus, eating undercooked meat or being born to someone who has the virus.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pamela Anderson speaks of hep C cure. How the disease damages liver
