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Is There A Pill That Cures Hepatitis C

What Does Treatment With The New Drugs Involve

New miracle drug cures Hepatitis C in just weeks

The drugs are easy to take and are taken orally.

Treatment time is usually 12 weeks. However this may range between 8 and 24 weeks for a complete course of treatment, depending on the patients genotype, whether the patient has cirrhosis, treatment history and which of the drug combinations the prescriber chooses to use.

Antiviral Medication For Hepatitis B

Doctors may recommend antiviral medication for people with chronic hepatitis B, which occurs when the virus stays in your body for more than six months.

Antiviral medication prevents the virus from replicating, or creating copies of itself, and may prevent progressive liver damage. Currently available medications can treat hepatitis B with a low risk of serious side effects.

NYU Langone hepatologists and infectious disease specialists prescribe medication when they have determined that without treatment, the hepatitis B virus is very likely to damage the liver over time. People with chronic hepatitis B may need to take antiviral medication for the rest of their lives to prevent liver damage.

There are many different types of antiviral medications available, and your doctor recommends the right type for you based on your symptoms, your overall health, and the results of diagnostic tests. A doctor may take a wait-and-see approach with a person who has a healthy liver and whose blood tests indicate a low viral load, the number of copies of the hepatitis B virus in your bloodstream.

Someone with HIV infection or AIDS may have a weakened immune system and is therefore more likely to develop liver damage. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that people with HIV infection who are diagnosed with hepatitis B immediately begin treatment with antiviral medication.

Faster Easier Cures For Hepatitis C

FDA News Release| July 30, 2014

Topics
A Preventable and Curable Disease
Baby Boomers and Hepatitis C

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  • Don’t Miss: What Is Included In A Hepatitis Panel

    Favorite Hep C Support Networks

    This site gives a very detailed listing of live hep C support groups in cities across the country. Meetings are often for those undergoing treatment or people who have questions about treatment. A database that searches by ZIP code makes it simple to find a support group near you.

    This online support network has about 34,000 members at latest count. People can anonymously post about all concerns related to the disease, including issues about stigma, depression, and care.

    What Is Hepatitis C Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention

    Hepatitis C medications: New, most effective, and names

    Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, and hepatitis C is liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus .

    Journal of Clinical MicrobiologyJournal of Infectious Diseases

    Though these genotypes appear to affect people similarly, they respond differently to treatments, and it’s possible to be infected with more than one HCV genotype at the same time.

    Whatever the genotype, hepatitis C is considered either acute or chronic .

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    Hepatitis C Drugs Remain Unaffordable In Many Countries Says Who Study

    Gilead has argued its treatments are more affordable than paying for liver transplants, cancer, and hospitalizations. To what extent the newest drug will cause payers concern is unclear. Epclusa will cost roughly half of the most commonly used treatment regimen for patients with Genotype 3 of the disease.

    This genotype is the most difficult to treat and one of the reasons Epclusa was granted priority review by the FDA, wrote Leerink analyst Geoffrey Porges in an investor note. He forecasts global Epclusa sales of $1.8 billion this year and $10.3 billion in 2017, before eroding to $2.2 billion in 2021, as more competition kicks.

    Meanwhile, the older standard of care is a combination treatment that includes Sovaldi and Bristol-Myers Squibbs Daklinza. The Bristol component has a $63,000 list price, suggesting the combined cost of this older treatment may place Bristol at a competitive disadvantage.

    An executive at one large health plan welcomed the additional treatment option.

    Keep in mind that most hepatitis C cases, about 70 percent, occur among people with the genotype that is most prevalent, genotype 1, said Michael Sherman, chief medical officer at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, the second-largest health plan in New England. Having more options is a good thing and I dont think this will lead to increased costs, although we will have to see what the rebates look like.

    How Is Hepatitis C Treated

    Hepatitis C virus is treated with all-oral medications. These pills, calledantiviral medications, are usually taken once per day. These antiviral medications are extremely good at attacking the virus and preventing it from multiplying.

    Antiviral medications were not the original treatment for hepatitis C. Before 2014, the only treatment for hepatitis C was called interferon and ribavirin, taken as weekly injections under the skin, plus pills. Interferon treatment caused many unpleasant side effects and was not usually successful. Then a new generation of medications became available. These antiviral treatments are extremely successful at curing the virus and have very minimal side effects.

    Ribavirin is still sometimes prescribed to be taken along with the new antiviral medicines, but it has become more and more uncommon that ribavirin is needed at all. Ribavirin has some mild-moderate side effects. Ribavirin is a pill taken twice per day, as 2 or 3 pills in the morning plus 2 or 3 pills at night, depending on the patient’s body weight. Most patients do not need ribavirin.

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    Outcomes And Hcv Treatment

    There is no treatment recommended for acute hep C infection however, patients should be monitored to see if the infection becomes chronic. Chronic hepatitis C can cause liver cancer or cirrhosis and is the most common reason for liver transplants in this country. The CDC estimates that of every 100 people infected with HCV, 75 to 85 will develop chronic infection, and 10 to 20 will develop cirrhosis within 20 or 30 years. Of 100 people who have hepatitis C and have developed cirrhosis, between three and six will develop liver failure each year and between one and five will develop liver cancer each year. There were 18,153 deaths related to HCV reported to the CDC in 2016, but this is likely an underestimate.

    A whole new class of medication, called direct-acting antivirals , was introduced in 2011. The first two drugs to be introduced — boceprevir and telaprevir — improved the outcomes dramatically but still required patients to take interferon. About 70% of patients achieved sustained virologic response on the first generation of DAAs.

    Then in 2014, Gilead Sciences introduced ledipasvir/sofosbuvir , which had a 99% SVR rate with a 12-week regimen and did not need to be combined with interferon injections. Newer DAAs have been introduced since that time, including sofosbuvir/velpatasvir and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir , also made by Gilead, elbasvir/grazoprevir by Merck, and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir from AbbVie.

    Related Conditions And Causes Of Hepatitis C

    NY Cures Hep C Campaign: âLearn about Hepatitis C Treatmentâ? Animated Video

    Other types of viral hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, D, and E.

    Hepatitis A and E are generally acquired from contaminated food and drink, while hepatitis B and D are transmitted via bodily fluids. You can only get hepatitis D if you already have hepatitis B.

    Though viruses are the most common causes of hepatitis, there are also forms of nonviral hepatitis, including:

    • Alcoholic hepatitis caused by prolonged alcohol abuse, per the Mayo Clinic
    • Autoimmune hepatitis, in which the immune system attacks healthy liver cells, per the NIDDK

    One of the most common reasons for liver transplantation in the United States is organ failure due to hep C. This network serves as a comprehensive resource for those exploring liver transplant options, organ donation, and medical advances. Profiles of people who have had transplants and connections to support groups are available.

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    $1000 Pill For Hepatitis C Spurs Debate Over Drug Prices

    • EmbedEmbed

    Timothy Webb and other advocates protest the cost of HIV drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Gilead outside an AIDS conference in Atlanta in March. Gilead is making a new hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi. John Amis/AP Images for AIDS Healthcare Foundationhide caption

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    Timothy Webb and other advocates protest the cost of HIV drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Gilead outside an AIDS conference in Atlanta in March. Gilead is making a new hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi.

    Federal regulators this month opened a new era in the treatment of a deadly liver virus that infects three to five times more people than HIV. Now the question is: Who will get access to the new drug for hepatitis C, and when?

    The drug Sovaldi will cost $1,000 per pill. A typical course of treatment will last 12 weeks and run $84,000, plus the cost of necessary companion drugs. Some patients may need treatment for twice as long.

    Hepatitis researchers call the drug a landmark in the treatment of this deadly infection. More than 90 percent of patients who get the new drug can expect to be cured of their hepatitis C infection, with few side effects.

    Risk Of Hcv Infection

    Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can lead to decreased liver function. Hepatitis can be caused by toxins, including alcohol and certain medications, or it can be caused by a virus. HCV is the virus that causes hepatitis C, or hep C. It is one of the most common hepatitis viruses.

    HCV is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. Before we had a screening test for hep C in 1992, most people got infected through blood transfusions. This explains why baby boomers, those born between 1945 and 1965, are five times more likely to have the virus.

    Today, most people with the virus get infected by sharing needles or other equipment for injecting drugs. Recent research has shown that the growing opioid epidemic is driving up rates of hep C infection, especially among young people. In addition, the prison population is at high risk for infection because of the high number of injection drug users who enter correctional facilities who are already living with hep C. Inside prisons, hep C is transmitted through injection drug use and unsafe practices for tattoos and piercings. It is estimated that one in three people in U.S. jails and prisons have HCV.

    Hep C can be transmitted through sexual activity however, this is rare and most likely to happen if a person is already living with HIV or another sexually transmitted infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25% of people living with HIV also have HCV.

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    Favorite Hep C Online Magazine And Blogs

    Hep Mag publishes current articles about people living with hep C, plus it offers a forum for people to ask questions and share stories and information with other readers. The online magazine also features a blog on funding, cures, liver disease, and related matters.

    Feedspot, a feed compiling news from online sources, lists 20 top blogs and websites to explore concerning hepatitis C. Readers can connect with one another and find out about the latest drug research developments.

    Hepatitis C Treatment Today

    Hepatitis C treatment: Costs and insurance

    In 2016, sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was developed as the first drug therapy to treat all hepatitis C genotypes in tablet form. The side effects are considered low . The cure rate is as high as 98 percent in those without severe liver scarring and 86 percent in those with cirrhosis.

    In July 2017, sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat chronic hepatitis C of all genotypes. This fixed-dose combination pill prohibits the development of the specific protein NS5A. In recent research, this troublesome protein has been associated with growth and progression of hepatitis C. In its earliest drug trials, this combination drug had a 96 to 97 percent cure rate, and hopes are high for it today.

    Most recently, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir was approved in August 2017. This treatment is for adults with chronic hepatitis C genotypes 1 through 6, and treatment duration can be as little as eight weeks. Results from early trials showed that

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    Why Cure Hep C

    Curing your hep C clears the virus from your body. It reduces liver inflammation and can help reverse fibrosis and even cirrhosis.

    Live free from the worry of hep C knowing that you no longer have hep C can help you feel better about yourself. For example, you may no longer feel worried about passing hep C to other people. There has been no better time to think about hep C treatment.

    Find out more about the benefits of clearing hep C call the Hepatitis Infoline.

    Grace talks about her experience of being cured of hepatitis C with new, highly effective treatments. Theres never been a better time to be cured of hep C.

    Protease Inhibitor Antiviral Medications

    Protease inhibitors work by preventing the spread of infection within the body by stopping viruses from multiplying.

    Grazoprevir is a protease inhibitor for hepatitis C genotypes 1 and 4. Its only available in combination with elbasvir and sold as grazoprevir/elbasvir.

    The drug combination is sold under the brand name Zepatier.

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    How Effective Is Treatment

    Direct acting antivirals cure 9 out of 10 patients with hepatitis C.

    Successful treatment does not give you any protection against another hepatitis C infection. You can still catch it again.

    There’s no vaccine for hepatitis C.

    If treatment does not work, it may be repeated, extended, or a different combination of medicines may be tried.

    Your doctor or nurse will be able to advise you.

    Sofosbuvir Velpatasvir And Voxilapresvir

    Hepatitis B: Treatment and care for a chronic condition

    This drug combination is similar to Epclusa but also includes a drug called voxilapresvir.

    Facts about Vosevi include:

    • Treatment time is 12 weeks for people without cirrhosis or compensated cirrhosis .
    • Dosage is fixed at 400 mg of sofosbuvir, 100 mg of velpatasvir, and 100 mg of voxilapresvir once per day with food.
    • Common side effects include tiredness, a headache, diarrhea, and nausea.

    Doctors often recommend Vosevi for people who have had previous treatment for hepatitis C that did not work.

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    Prevention Of Hepatitis C

    There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

    The best way to avoid getting hepatitis C is to reduce your risk factors, such as by:

    • Not using intravenous drugs
    • Using only sterile injection equipment if you do inject drugs, and not reusing or sharing your equipment
    • Not sharing personal care items that might have blood on them, including razors, toothbrushes, and nail clippers
    • Safely handling needles and other sharp equipment if you are a healthcare worker
    • Not getting a tattoo, body piercing, or acupuncture treatment from an unlicensed practitioner
    • Practicing safe sex

    What Is Hepatitis C

    Hepatitis C, or hep C, is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus . The virus is transmitted through the blood, most commonly through contaminated needles, but also through sex. In 75% to 85% of cases, the infection becomes chronic, which means the body cannot get rid of it. Chronic hepatitis C can slowly destroy the liver over several decades by causing liver cirrhosis and liver failure. It can also cause a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma.

    In the US, Latin America and Europe, the most common type of hepatitis C infection is type 1.

    Here, well talk about treatment options for chronic HCV type 1, which makes up 60% to 75% of US cases of hepatitis C.

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    What Are Genotypes And Do They Matter

    Six different genotypes of hepatitis C have been identified. Genotypes 1 and 3 are the most common causes of hepatitis C in Australia and make up 90 per cent of all cases. They are important because they help determine the treatment you need. Unlike in the past, however, your genotype is not important in terms of the chance of cure. With the treatment drugs, all six genotypes have a very high chance of cure.

    We Now Have The Cure For Hepatitis C But Can We Afford It

    Hepatitis C medications: New, most effective, and names

    A long, difficult and costly research effort gives doctors a new cure for hepatitis C

    • Print

    A decades-long search for better treatments for a debilitating liver disorder is finally coming to fruition. Later this year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve a new pill that can cure hepatitis Ca chronic infection that afflicts about 170 million people worldwide and annually kills 350,000 people, including 15,000 in the U.S.faster and with fewer side effects than current remedies.

    The breakthrough treatment comes, however, at a price that may place it out of reach for all but the wealthiest or best-insured patients. It will contain two drugs, one of which is already available at $1,000 per dose, or $84,000 for a complete 12-week course. The dual-drug combination will likely cost even more, which has prompted outrage from physicians and patient advocates alike, as well as plans from insurers to ration the combination when it becomes commercially available.

    Over the coming months, physicians, patients, economists and insurance companies will no doubt hotly debate whether the treatment is worth the full asking price. There is little doubt, however, that the medication’s effectiveness is unprecedented and that its development is a significant achievement. A closer look at the complex chemical problems that needed to be solved to develop the cure shows why.

    doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0914-32

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