The highly effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were well-received by both patients and physicians as sustained virological response (SVR) was associated with an improved overall survival in patients with stable liver disease, even in case of cirrhosis (1). Yet, at that time these results were derived from retrospective cohort studies with long-term follow-up after interferon-based therapy. In patients with compensated liver disease there is confidence that SVR is a clinically relevant endpoint based on consistent positive results with smart use of statistics in numerous cohort studies. Currently, however, there remains a need for long-term follow-up data showing a clinical benefit of DAA-induced SVR, preferably with high-quality prospective data. The results from the French ANRS CO22 Hepather cohort, as published by Dr. Carrat and colleagues in the April issue of the Lancet, thus bring an important contribution to the field (2). It’s the first prospective cohort study with reasonable follow-up time to assess all-cause mortality after DAA therapy.