Access to New Hepatitis C Drugs
One big hurdle, though, is access
to the drugs. They are quite
expensive. As competitors enter the
market, though, the price is slowly
coming down. Still, many health
insurance companies have extremely
tight coverage restrictions.
“This is all about ethics and all about
insurance companies,” said Apurva
Modi, M.D., transplant hepatologist at
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical
Center – Fort Worth. Dr. Modi has also
been closely involved in the drug trials.
He explained that drug makers and
insurance companies question
now willingly invite hepatitis C tragedy to say to some families that, whether they should cover the drug
— or Trojan Virus, so to speak — as donate your loved one’s heart to save organ from a donor that is hepatitis C
transplant, and then turn around and your loved one’s heart because it is That’s exactly why the TROJAN-C
through the gates as a Trojan Horse ‘Yes, we understand you want to costs for a patient transplanted with an
it accompanies the life-saving heart another life, but no, we can’t accept positive.
cure the virus.” ‘contaminated’ with blood carrying trial is so important. Dr. Hall hopes
study, TROJAN-C, which stands for explained. “These potential donor medications will also be indicated for
Judicious Administration of New special solace, and yet the wait list an organ from a donor that was once
C Heart Recipients. closely with Dr. Hall, who was insurance companies will cover
feel that it would be better to be alive nationally. population.
hepatitis C,” Dr. Gottlieb said. “But we that this is effective, and that this is breakthrough for trying to increase
curing them altogether of hepatitis C than patients waiting in the ICU with transplantation,” Dr. Hall said.
Families of organ donors may also are no organs available,” Dr. Hall one was able to offer another person new norm in a few years, once all of Gottlieb that in the future, these new
Transplant of Redeemed Organs by families have been deprived of that transplant recipients who received
Direct-Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis for organs grows.” Dr. Gottlieb works hepatitis C positive, and that
“If you ask many of our patients, they recently selected to lead this trial these drugs for this patient
with hepatitis C than dead without “The purpose is to demonstrate “I think this is the next big
That’s why researchers titled the
hepatitis
C ,’ ”
D r.
the donor pool for solid organ
believe we can do better than that by far more economically appropriate in most cases.” a serious risk of dying because there find solace knowing that their loved said. “I think it will be considered the Baylor Scott & White’s transplant
a lifesaving gift. these trials confirm that.” Melissa Dalton at 214.820.2705 or
“Until now, it has been an added
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For more information about
initiatives, contact
[email protected].