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Friday, November-4-16
News in Brief
Pan-Genotypic Hep C Drug Epclusa™ Recommended for PharmaCare Coverage by CADTH
November 4, 2016
Epclusa™, a Direct-Acting-Antiviral combo for ALL GENOTYPES of Chronic Hepatitis C, received approval from CADTH on October 28, 2016. This combo of (generics) sofosbuvir and velpatasvir, from Gilead Sciences, was recommended by CADTH’s Canadian Drug Expert Committtee (CDEC) for reimbursement by provincial and territorial PharmaCares.
BC Ministry of Health’s Refusal to Reimburse Critical Drug “Zaxine™” for Hepatic Encephalopathy
November 4, 2016
BC Ministry of Health sent a puzzling reply to HepCBC’s request for reimbursement of hepatic encephalopathy drug rifaximin (Zaxine™). BC is the only province/territory which does not cover it; many of BC’s End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD) patients are suffering from preventable brain damage because of this. This drug has been shown to be of great benefit to patients suffering from ESLD, either in combination with lactulose, or instead of lactulose in cases where lactulose does not work. Nevertheless, BC is still refusing to cover it.
Who sets the maximum price allowed for patent medicines in Canada, including hep C treatments?
November 4, 2016
The “Patented Medicine Prices Review Board” (PMPRB) does! PMPRB asked patient groups for feedback on proposed changes to PMPRB’s mandate. In our submission, HepCBC asked for maximum pricing to reflect “prevalence” of a disease (how many people have it), because the more treatments you can sell, the more you can lower your price and still make the same or better profit. We advocated for pricing which is more in line with European rather than American prices. We also advocated for an “Equitable Profit Margin”. We said it is not so important to patients if Research and Development is done in Canada as long as clinical trials are conducted here. Read HepCBC’s full (8 page) submission:
These researchers think they have a solution to the global crisis in drug prices
November 4, 2016
Jerome Zeldis remembers exactly how he felt when he heard about the $84,000 price tag on a powerful new hepatitis C treatment three years ago. “I was somewhere between annoyed and outraged,” recalled Zeldis, the former chief medical officer of the biotech juggernaut Celgene. So he has started Trek Therapeutics as a public benefit corporation – a relatively new type of corporate structure that places public welfare on equal footing with profit.
DAA Combination Treatment Fast and Effective for Hepatitis C
November 3, 2016
Sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir for 8 weeks does the trick across all genotypes, treatment experienced, DAA relapse or cirrhosis! Two phase 2 studies of combination direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) treatments were published recently in Gastroenterology. They were accompanied by an editorial simply titled “Hepatitis C Therapy: Game Over!”
What Are the Out of Pocket Costs for Harvoni, Viekira Pak and Epclusa under Medicare Part D?
November 3, 2016
We often get asked this question by American visitors to our site, and we hope this page will help provide the answers you need. Not all drugs are covered by Medicaid but there are “coupons” that you can use. The information is from GoodRX. This is for the USA only.
Vietnam vets urged to receive hepatitis C testing
November 2, 2016
American Legion Post 1619 is working on a statewide awareness campaign and urging all Vietnam-era veterans to get tested for hepatitis C. Two free clinics are scheduled for Nov. 4 and 5 in Morrisonville. MORRISONVILLE NY — The boot camp ritual was robotic in its precision. Soldiers lined up for their vaccination shots. Needles were outdated, “jet guns” were in, and soldiers received high pressure blasts of an 18-drug cocktail before being shipped off.
Acute hepatitis after heavy energy drink use ‘a warning to the consumer,’ liver specialist says
November 1, 2016
Construction worker relied on 4 to 5 bottles a day to get through his shift A construction worker who consumed an excessive amount of energy drinks developed a rare case of acute hepatitis, say doctors who want patients to know about the potential risks to the liver from such over-consumption.
HCV reinfection common in MSM with HIV
November 1, 2016
In a retrospective study, researchers found that hepatitis C virus reinfection is common among HIV-positive men who have sex with men after successful treatment and spontaneous clearance. “A subsequent high incidence of HCV reinfection has been reported regionally in men who both clear the infection spontaneously or who respond to treatment.
Recurrent viremia infrequent in hepatitis C
November 1, 2016
The prevalence of recurrent viremia was low among patients with hepatitis C who achieved sustained virologic response, data from a recently published study demonstrate. Among those patients who did experience late recurrent viremia, most had HCV reinfection. (HCV reinfection common in MSM with HIV).
Two genes linked to increase in immunity to hepatitis C after childbirth, study shows
October 31, 2016
Alternative forms of two genes are associated with a boost in immunity to hepatitis C after childbirth, a study led by a Nationwide Children’s Hospital physician-researcher shows. At three months postpartum, the number of viruses circulating in the blood declined sharply in most women who carried particular versions of IFNL3 and HLA-DPB1 genes. Mothers lacking these gene variants experienced little change in viral levels after delivery.
Tampa Bay woman with Hepatitis C reduces co-pay for treatments with coupon
October 31, 2016
PASADENA, FL (WFLA) — The FDA has approved several new cures for people fighting chronic diseases, but the problem is, many people can’t afford the drugs and insurance companies will cover only the sickest patients. That includes a drug now on the market for people with Hepatitis C called Harvoni — a pill that patients take for 8 to 12 weeks. Wendy Latorre, of Pasadena, says when she heard about the drugs she was extremely hopeful. “And then she found out the cost!
Dating after Hepatitis C: Hope on the horizon for the 1 in 30 boomers estimated to be infected
October 30, 2016
Baby boomers are 6 times more likely to be infected than other adults. We need to talk about testing and treatment. Recently I went on a first date — a stroll in a city park — that went rather well. We had so much in common, from a love of reading to a history of youthful troublemaking. If I wasn’t convinced already he was someone I could relate to, my new friend shared that he’d been cured of Hepatitis C. I could hardly believe it.
Why all those discarded needles are signs of progress for HIV, Hep C in Southern Interior
October 29, 2016
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Nearly 400 new Hepatitis C cases and as many as 15 HIV cases were recorded by Interior Health last year, and most were caused by injection drug use. The numbers may seem surprisingly high, but are average compared to recent years, according to senior medical health officer Dr. Trevor Corneil, who says they’ve actually been on an overall downward trend over the past 15 years with the advent of harm reduction strategies.
Generic hepatitis C drugs purchased online achieve high cure rates
October 28, 2016
Use of generic versions of direct-acting antivirals resulted in very high cure rates for people who obtained the products through three buyers’ clubs, indicating that the generic products are effective, according to three presentations at the International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (HIV Glasgow) this week. People who purchased the drugs were cured of hepatitis C at a cost of around $700-$900 in South-East Asia and Eastern Europe.