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All patients suffering from hepatitis C can be treated with the drugs Harvoni and Epclusa from next month, after the Federal Office of Public Health lifted restrictions allowing the medicines to be reimbursed by mandatory health insurance.
The two drugs will be available to all patients irrespective of the level and stage of infection, the office said in a statement on Tuesday. The brand-name drugs (sold as Harvoni or Epclusa) manufactured by American pharmaceutical Gilead costs between CHF33,000 to CHF60,000 ($34,048 to $61,713) for the 8-12-week therapy.
The decision follows a softening of the government’s stance. Earlier these drugs were only available to those with an advanced form the disease. Others – around half of all sufferers – were forced to buy cheap generics from countries like India, often through buyer’s clubs.
In April, plans were announced to make it easier for high-risk patients like drug addicts, as well as HIV and Hepatitis B sufferers, to access the two drugs even if the disease is only in an intermediary stage.
From July 1, the health office made Zepatier, produced by pharma company Merck Sharp & Dohme, available to all patients from after also allowing it to be reimbursed by mandatory insurance. The 12-week treatment costs CHF31,000 ($31,952) per patient and was previously only available to those with an advanced form of the disease. The same occurred for the drug combination Viekirax/Exviera from September 1. These two treatments are taken by 63% of patients.
Hepatitis C affects between 50,000 to 80,000 Swiss residents, or 0.7% of the population, compared to 3% worldwide. The number of new Swiss cases has been stable since 2006.