CANCER DIGEST – Oct. 24, 2018 – The World Hepatitis Alliance is calling for a dramatic increase in testing and treatment across all countries in an effort to reduce the number of people who are unaware they have hepatitis C, a viral infection that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.
The organization says that out of an estimated 71 million people worldwide infected with virus, less than a million are treated, despite the fact that there are newer antiviral drugs that can cure more than 95 percent of those infected according to the World Health Organization.
In the U.S. the Centers for Disease Control says 3.5 million Americans are infected and 75 percent of them will develop chronic infection. Yet few of these infected Americans will be treated early before such damage is done. Instead most will be treated only after the disease has progressed to fibrosis, cirrhosis or even tumors when treatment involves invasive procedures, high-cost chemotherapy, or liver transplant.
The organization says that out of an estimated 71 million people worldwide infected with virus, less than a million are treated, despite the fact that there are newer antiviral drugs that can cure more than 95 percent of those infected according to the World Health Organization.
In the U.S. the Centers for Disease Control says 3.5 million Americans are infected and 75 percent of them will develop chronic infection. Yet few of these infected Americans will be treated early before such damage is done. Instead most will be treated only after the disease has progressed to fibrosis, cirrhosis or even tumors when treatment involves invasive procedures, high-cost chemotherapy, or liver transplant.
France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain have the highest treatment rates for hepatitis C in the world. Those governments have negotiated prices for the anti-viral drugs down to as little as $11,0000 per patient. Meanwhile the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are prohibited by a Republican law from negotiating drug prices.
Physicians across the country have taken note, however, and
are beginning to advocate for coverage and educating legislators about the
disease and the issues patients face in getting treatment, and their efforts
are beginning to have effect.
Under threat of lawsuits brought by advocacy groups, the
Pennsylvania legislature last year expanded
Medicaid coverage to include hepatitis C treatment.
In Louisiana Rebekah Gee, M.D., M.P.H., the state secretary
of health
recently proposed a strategy to combat high drug prices calling
on the federal government to develop a generic drug in the public interest
under a little-known provision of the 1910 patent law.
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