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Do you have HEPATITIS B or are you a CAREGIVER for someone with HBV? This is really important for you! An improved hepatitis B treatment will likely be available to Canadians soon, but first the federal government has requested us to submit a patient group review to them (CADTH) explaining whether hepatitis B patients want this new treatment, and why.
What is the new hepatitis B treatment? It is tenofovir alafenamide or TAF (brand name VemlidyTM) made by Gilead Sciences Canada. Adult patients with chronic hepatitis B and compensated liver disease take one 25 mg tablet once daily. This dose uses only one-tenth (10%) the tenofovir now used in the current treatment for both HBV and HIV (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or TDF (VireadTM – 300 mg daily), but with comparable effectiveness in HBV viral suppression. The presumed benefit is far less long-term damage to HBV patients’ kidneys and bones. The federal government has already issued a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada (June 19, 2017)
HepCBC needs to hear your voices (English or Chinese 中国语文) in order to prepare our review! We need to know:
- What is your experience with hepatitis B? (patient for “X” years, caregiver, nurse, etc.?)
- How has hepatitis B affected your life or that of your patient(s)? – This can be a few sentences or a few paragraphs, it’s up to you.
- What sort of treatment(s), if any, have you tried and how have they affected you – both positive and negative aspects. (Were there side effects and did the treatment[s] work?)
- Do you support making the new treatment available to Canadians? Why or why not?
- Anything else you want to add?
Send your phone or email input (English or Chinese 中国语文) to HepCBC BEFORE Tuesday, October 16th to:
ENGLISH: 250-882-6024 / info@hepcbc.bchep.org (ATTN Cheryl)
CHINESE 中国语文: 604-330-0096 / info@hepcbc.bchep.org (ATTN Alan)
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More details, see: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/gilead-receives-approval-in-canada-for-vemlidy-tenofovir-alafenamide-for-the-treatment-of-chronic-hepatitis-b-virus-infection-629352103.html
You can also attend online webinars about hepatitis B treatments through Clinical Care Options (CCO): https://events.clinicaloptions.com/hepatitis/programs/program/?id=71008d4e-19a2-e711-80d6-005056943d50 Registration (ID & PW) is required with CCO (free). Once registered with CCO, go to above link, sign in, and click on “Event Dates” (box to left side of page) to register separately for each webinar (Details>>Register)