availability of the latest [expensive] cure for hep C in LOS?

[joeyg]

We were getting a high success rate with the standard Pegylated Interferon combined with Ribovirin protocol as recently as two years ago. Don't know much about these new drugs other than they're quite expensive. Genotyping is essential to obtain optimum response.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177792-treatment

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23886001

http://formularyjournal.modernmedicine.com/formulary-journal/news/clinical/clinical-pharmacology/treatment-chronic-hepatitis-c-new-standard-car?page=full

[joeyg]

We were getting a high success rate with the standard Pegylated Interferon combined with Ribavirin protocol as recently as two years ago. Don't know much about these new drugs other than they're quite expensive. Genotyping is essential to obtain optimum response.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177792-treatment

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23886001

http://formularyjournal.modernmedicine.com/formulary-journal/news/clinical/clinical-pharmacology/treatment-chronic-hepatitis-c-new-standard-car?page=full

Edited May 20, 2016 by joeyg

[thaivisareader]

Hi all,

yeah, for baseline reference you need your HCV genotype for sure, viral load (which I've been told can vary wildly) and liver enzyme levels. joeyg, this is the first i've heard that peg interferon/ribavirin treatment had a high success rate but I'm not very up-to-date on that. I had been lead to believe they were not that good Anyway, far as I know the gold standard now for hep-c treatment is Harvoni once a day for 8,12 or 24 weeks. It has now been approved for more genotypes other than 1. It's ridiculously expensive but if your insurance doesn't cover, Gilead has options to get it to you gratis. In the U.S. you have to jump through some hoops though.

I won't go through my story again, which is on page 1, but I will say again that anyone who seeks hep-c treatment and lives in this part of the world can fairly easily get the generic Harvoni (several different makers) for a very reasonable price either by direct pick-up in India, Bangladesh, Nepal or EMS delivery which is what I did (from India). I completed my 12 weeks in March, got a non-detectable result from the Phoenix, Az. VA in April and will get another test done later this year in the U.S.

Best wishes and good luck to anyone out there looking for help- it's there and not that hard to get.

[joeyg]

Hi all,

yeah, for baseline reference you need your HCV genotype for sure, viral load (which I've been told can vary wildly) and liver enzyme levels. joeyg, this is the first i've heard that peg interferon/ribavirin treatment had a high success rate but I'm not very up-to-date on that. I had been lead to believe they were not that good Anyway, far as I know the gold standard now for hep-c treatment is Harvoni once a day for 8,12 or 24 weeks. It has now been approved for more genotypes other than 1. It's ridiculously expensive but if your insurance doesn't cover, Gilead has options to get it to you gratis. In the U.S. you have to jump through some hoops though.

I won't go through my story again, which is on page 1, but I will say again that anyone who seeks hep-c treatment and lives in this part of the world can fairly easily get the generic Harvoni (several different makers) for a very reasonable price either by direct pick-up in India, Bangladesh, Nepal or EMS delivery which is what I did (from India). I completed my 12 weeks in March, got a non-detectable result from the Phoenix, Az. VA in April and will get another test done later this year in the U.S.

Best wishes and good luck to anyone out there looking for help- it's there and not that hard to get.

The newer protocol seems more successful. I think because of having to take less pills leading to better patient compliance. Need too take a look at it again. Aside from the high cost it looks like a step forward in the treatment of Hep C.

[thaivisareader]

Hey all,

The cost of generic Harvoni: Mine worked out to around $14 per pill when I purchased Hepcinat LP from Aurel Pharma, Delhi back in Dec. That includes the bank wire transfer and EMS delivery to my house 3 or 4 days after they received the money. When I was researching pharma suppliers i found prices both less and more than what i paid and it's probably getting more competitive by now - all good. I went with Aurel not based on cost alone but the assurance I felt after speaking with the owner, Sumit Gupta. We still stay in touch.

Was looking at some articles about the massive effort to bring a vaccine to the market asap. It's all looking very different than it did just a few years ago.

Best wishes,

[ubonjoe]

Posts selling meds has been removed. This is not allowed under the forum rules.

[dman]

If you have Hep C the generic meds are availalble at a reasonable price. I paid THB 42K for 12 week supply of Generic Sof/Led made by Indian Pharma CIPLA. Just finished my fourth week and blood work shows all my liver function tests have come back to normal, am waiting for the viral load results and am hoping for significant drop from the 4.9M I had before starting treatment. I would go on the net and do your research. One good place to get info about the virus, and treatment options is a site run by a few Australian doctors who have run some of the only trials on generic treatments and has presented to the world liver conference.

Fixhepc.com

another good source of info is a blogger by the name of Greg Jeffery's. He detailed his account of how he searched for the new generic tx in India.

Either way you go do your homework and know who you are talking with. There are many good folks out there trying to help but on the flip side there are many shams online. Operative word is do your research and vett people out and you will find your cure. All the best. PM me if you have any q's. BTW I am not in any way selling anything.

[thaivisareader]

Sorry to be repetitive. I was genotype 1b, viral load 2.3 m. Liver functions high normal-high, no cirrhosis. Completed 12 weeks generic Harvoni in March. I purchased Hepcinat LP by NATCO from Aurel Pharma, Delhi (EMS to me in NE Thailand) In April went to an Arizona VA clinic for bloodwork: results were no detectable viral load, antibodies detectable, liver functions all normal range. Rather than get more blood work here in Thailand, I'm going back to the U.S. in Nov. for another that. That will be 8 mos. post pills. I'm hoping it's gone for good. My VA doctor seemed super interested in how I got my Hepcinat LP. It takes weeks or months to get approved by the VA for Harvoni. They give it out 28 pills at a time and a patient has to stay in the area until the course is completed with testing done all the time- not an option for me.

FYI another Hep C once a day pill has just been approved by the FDA for all 6 genotypes. Epclusa by Gilead to be taken with ribavirin. i think Merk is just about to or already has introduced another one as well. When they will be available as generics, I don't know. Congrats to everyone who has taken advantage of the huge price markdown with these readily available generics. All good wishes and best luck to those who will soon. Get well, be well.

[traveller101]

Australians who hold a valid Medicare card have access under the PBS scheme to the latest drug called Maviret (glecaprevir/pibrentasivir), covering all HCV genotypes.

Length of treatment is 8 weeks, success rate 95 to 98%.

Cost under the PBS scheme around A$ 38.