The Hepatitis C virus, often known as HCV, is a member of the hepatitis virus family. Hepatitis viruses are known to cause damage to the liver, including an increased risk of liver cancer. Other members of the hepatitis virus family include hepatitis A and hepatitis B, both of which can be prevented with vaccination. There is currently no vaccination available to prevent hepatitis C. On the other hand, as of approximately the year 2010, it is generally thought to be curable. What is different? The creation of medicines that are both safer and more effective.

 

The Development of Current Hepatitis C Therapies

Hepatitis C has been observed in humans for a considerable amount of time. Even before the development of these novel medications, somewhere between 15 and 25 percent of people who were infected with HCV did not progress to a chronic form of the infection. Their immune systems were strong enough to fight off the infection on their own. However, until quite recently, there were very few therapy choices that were successful for hepatitis C.

In the past, the most common treatment plan involved taking pegylated interferon and ribavirin for an extended period. However, these treatments suffer from several serious drawbacks. The evidence suggests that they are only moderately effective in eliminating the virus, and they come with several undesirable side effects. One study, for instance, discovered that the treatment regimen was responsible for the onset of significant depressive episodes in as many as one-quarter of the persons who were given interferon.

In addition, the use of those medications was strictly discouraged in patients who had an advanced stage of liver or renal disease. Because of this, a significant number of persons who had hepatitis C were not qualified to receive them.

Both interferon and ribavirin were ineffective against the most frequent strains of hepatitis C. These strains were resistant to both treatments. Pegylated interferon and ribavirin were traditionally challenging medications to use in the treatment of genotype 1. The treatment plan was effective to a significantly greater extent for individuals with genotypes 2 and 3, although these types were also far less common.

The combination of low efficacy and high intolerance were driving forces in the creation of interferon-free techniques for treating hepatitis C. These two factors combined led to the development of these approaches. These medications are referred to as direct-acting antivirals, or DAAs for short. DAAs are largely responsible for the fact that hepatitis C is now considered curable.

The Methods That Are Used To Treat Hepatitis C

What It Means If Hepatitis C Can Be Cured

The term "cured" of hepatitis C comes with a very particular meaning in the scientific community. Patients must have HCV RNA levels that are undetectable on an HCV test 12 or 24 weeks after finishing their course of treatment to be deemed cured of the infection. SVR stands for "sustained virological response," which refers to the absence of detectable HCV after treatment.

At first, researchers were hesitant to consider an SVR to be a true cure for the disease. However, research has indicated that the virus is considered to be cured when HCV RNA can no longer be detected in either the blood or the liver of the patient. In theory, this indicates that it may be possible to completely wipe out all instances of hepatitis C.

More than 95 percent of people diagnosed with hepatitis C could potentially be cured by following a treatment plan consisting of DAAs for eight to twelve weeks.

Obstacles on the Path Towards a Cure for Hepatitis C

Although there is a possibility of curing hepatitis C, this does not necessarily mean that it is available to the majority of people who are infected with the virus. Access to even the most recently developed medications for HCV has historically been restricted due to several circumstances. One of the most significant is that testing for hepatitis C isn't standard practice everywhere. There are a lot of folks who aren't aware that they are infected. Because of this, it is impossible to treat them.

People need to make sure they stick to their treatment plan and their follow-up strategy. This is another component that contributes to the problem. There are various treatment options accessible if a person's infection is resistant to a certain medication. However, because medical professionals don't want more viruses that are resistant to their treatments to emerge, they may be hesitant to provide these medications to patients who aren't likely to consistently take them as directed. In addition to this, there are worries that people with hepatitis C who are at a higher risk of re-infection, such as those who inject drugs, could be at risk.

Treatments for hepatitis C pose a significant financial challenge. A course of treatment lasting between eight and twelve weeks can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars range. This can place a significant load on insurance firms. This is especially true for public insurers, as they cover a significant number of the patients who are at the highest risk for contracting hepatitis C—namely, people who inject drugs. Insurers can restrict access to direct-acting antivirals due to concerns regarding the cost, particularly in cases involving persons who are at risk for re-infection. They might only provide access to treatment for people who have an advanced stage of liver disease or for people who have been clean from substance abuse for a certain amount of time.

Having said that, research into the cost-effectiveness of various healthcare interventions indicates that therapies for hepatitis C are, in the long run, an excellent investment. This is the case even when they are administered to patients who have an early stage of HCV known as "silent" or those who are at a high risk for reinfection. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now advises that one-time testing for the virus be administered to all persons who were born between 1945 and 1965.

A communication from Very well

Hepatitis C affects roughly 2.4 million persons in the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you received a diagnosis of hepatitis C before the middle of the 2010s, the fact that the virus can be cured may come as a surprise to you. It's possible that even your healthcare professional hasn't heard of this before.

Talk to your healthcare practitioner if you are living with an HCV infection and have not been provided treatment yet. A potential remedy might be accessible to you depending on the state of your health, the community in which you live, and the provisions of your health insurance. The particular subtype of the virus with which you are infected will determine both the medications that will be most effective for you and the length of time you will need to take them. Nevertheless, there are treatment alternatives available for the vast majority of people. It could not hurt to inquire if there is a feasible alternative for you to consider.