Nova Scotia: New drug will help with hepatitis C treatment

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Nova Scotians will soon have access to a new drug to help treat hepatitis C.

Nova Scotia’s Department of Health and Wellness announced Monday the province will provide public access to EPCLUSA tablets, the first once-daily, pan-genotypic single tablet regimen for the treatment of adults with genotype 1-6 chronic hepatitis C.

With this drug, patients take one tablet daily for 12 weeks, provided they are adult patients without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.

The drug was approved for Canadian use in July 2016.

In addition, Nova Scotia will expand access to include patients with less advanced liver disease if they have been diagnosed with certain co-existing factors, including HIV, hepatitis B and diabetes.

In Nova Scotia, the Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that more than 4,000 people are living with chronic HCV.

Source: http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1464365-new-drug-will-help-with-hepatitis-c-treatment