On May 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of telaprevir for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis C. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic viral hepatitis C affects 3.2 million Americans. Left untreated, chronic viral hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and unwitting transmission to others.
The approval of telaprevir marks the second new treatment approved for chronic hepatitis C. On May 13, the FDA announced the approval of boceprevir. Edward Cox, M.D., M.P.H., director, Office of Antimicrobial Products in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, calls the new treatments “a major step forward in the battle against chronic hepatitis C”, offering patients with this condition a greater chance at a cure.
In a major initiative to bring attention to combating viral hepatitis, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (PDF 672KB). Among its goals, the Action Plan calls for a 25% reduction in the number of new cases of hepatitis C and an increase in the proportion of persons who are aware of their hepatitis C virus infection.
Read the FDA’s full announcement on the approval of telaprevir.
I am a 57 year old Latino working as a Health Educator in the field of HIV and any co-infections that goes along with it, I am also infected with Hepatitis C since 1995. Last year I was diagnosed with Liver Disease and would like to know more of this new and approved treatment. I was treated with Pegalated Interferon and Rabivirin and the results were nill, due to my being a certain Genotype.
Please if I may have any information that I can use to make certain decision in reference to transplant.
Thanks.
I am a 62 year old who worked in the dialysis field(RN) for approximately 30 yrs. During that time ,after non,a non,b before c was identified I received several needle sticks and blood sprays. This was before more formal universal precautions were in place. In 1992 a blood test showed positive for hepatitis c after a needle stick from a patient at the VA in tucson. I have never received treatment as my genotype has shown poor response. I am very much interested in receiving the new treatment. particularly with telaprevir. Thank you for your response. Best regards, Mike Friedl
I too am 62 and had failed two previous treatments for Hep C. I started the new treatment,Teleprevir-Incivek) Aug. 28, 2011. Within four weeks iof treatment my viral load test showed the virus could not be detected. It has now been 6 months and I’m still testing negative. Along with the new med you still have to take the Ribavirin & interferon injections for 11 months. The new med-teleprevir-is only taken for 3 months. The side effects are nothing nice but the results are worth it. Good luck & God Bless, Mo
I`m 67 years old .i made open heart surgery from 2006 and from since i had the hepatitis c & B .From that time the doctors told me that i can`t take the interferon.Do i have any more information about the newest therapies for both viruses.
Thanks,
There is a new research treatment that is working for patients that does not include interferon injections. The story is in the publication Hep C Connection published in Denver, CO Good Luck
my motheq is 43 years old she is spleenectomized since 1984 and accidently do hcv ab which was positive she saught medical advice to take peginterferon alfa plus ribavirin but she has grade 1 oesophageal varices which is a contraindication to take interferon . Can she take any of these new drugs or also contraindicated thnx
I am a 61 year old nurse who was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and acquired the disease thru needle stick and blood splash prior to facilities following the Blood Borne Prevention Policies. I was in the experimental program with Dr. Pine and had Interferon for 9 months which decreased my viral count down to 10,000. I developed BOOP and stopped interferon. I also have the resistive 1b geno type. Presently I have not worked as a Nurse for 1 year due to bone pain and fibromyalgia. I have worked with other Nurses in the Mpls/St. Paul area the have died due to illness caused by viral hepatitis. I am interested in the new therapy for Hepatitis. It would be fantastic to find a medication that would irradicate the disease. I am very careful about the medications that I take and I do not drink. I also try to stay out of stressful situations as I understand this can cause the virous to become active from a dormit state. I would like to hear more about the disease.
hi i am lecturer in nursing and got a needle prick on 15 jan 2012 the patient had hepatitis c , i test hcv after a month and it was positive also i had a quantitative test which shows (less than 15). My request is what i have to do