hepatitis C

Hep C has a secret strategy to evade the immune system. And now we know what it is

2:33pm July 26, 2023

by Bec Roldan

How does the hepatitis C virus keep the immune system at bay? A scientist finds the answer — and it involves a standard technique used by villains.

Martin Shkreli, former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, appeared before the House Oversight Committee during a contentious hearing on drug pricing on Feb. 4, 2016.

Health & Safety

A Decade Marked By Outrage Over Drug Prices

3:08pm December 31, 2019

by Sydney Lupkin

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans has trouble affording prescription drugs, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Over the past decade, high prices of several medicines have become flashpoints.

Health & Safety

Louisiana's Novel 'Subscription' Model For Pricey Hepatitis C Drugs Gains Approval

5:28pm June 26, 2019

Certain high-cost drugs are straining state budgets. A new deal approved Wednesday allows Louisiana to spend a fixed amount for unlimited access to a costly cure. Other states may try to follow suit.

Health & Safety

HepConnect Initiative Launches In Response To Rise In Hepatitis C

4:19pm June 13, 2019

by Bethany Chafin

A new statewide initiative will address the rise in hepatitis C cases in North Carolina.

The presence of the hepatitis C virus in donated hearts and organs for transplantation wasn't an impediment for a successful result for recipients.

Health & Safety

Hepatitis C Not A Barrier For Organ Transplantation, Study Finds

8:52pm April 03, 2019

by Richard Harris

Researchers found that antiviral drugs are effective in preventing transmission of the hepatitis C virus from donated hearts and lungs to recipients. The result could help reduce organ wait times.

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The initial test for hepatitis C is an inexpensive blood test to check for antibodies that indicate the person's been exposed to the virus. If that antibody test is positive, a second test is done to see if the virus is circulating in the bloodstream —

Why Aren't More Users Of Opioids Or Meth Screened For Hepatitis C?

9:24am December 19, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

As the number of people who inject drugs and share needles has soared, the rate of infection with hep C has climbed, too. Yet many drug treatment patients aren't tested for the liver-damaging virus.

Drug companies have infiltrated nearly every part of the process that determines how their drugs will be covered by Medicaid.

Health & Safety

Investigation: Patients' Drug Options Under Medicaid Heavily Influenced By Drugmakers

11:18am July 18, 2018

Drug companies have infiltrated nearly every part of the process that determines how their drugs will be covered by Medicaid, an investigation by NPR and the Center for Public Integrity finds.

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Hepatitis C virus is typically transmitted through blood, but an infected person who spits at someone can run afoul of the law in some jurisdictions.

Laws That Criminalize Spread Of Infectious Diseases Can Increase Their Stigma

4:15pm June 22, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

About a dozen states have added hepatitis C to the list of medical conditions for which people can face criminal prosecution if they knowingly engage in activities that could spread the disease.

Jymie Jimerson collects Willie Nelson memorabilia in her home in remembrance of her late husband, Steve, who was a fan.

Missouri Faces Costly Dilemma: How To Treat Inmates With Hepatitis C?

12:04pm January 19, 2018

by Alex Smith

Civil liberties groups in Missouri and at least five other states are suing to get more inmates treated with hepatitis drugs that are highly effective but quite expensive.

Dr. Ronald Cirillo helps Deborah Hatfield fill out paperwork at a Florida clinic, before running a test to see whether she has hepatitis C.

From Retirement To The Front Lines Of Hepatitis C Treatment

11:17pm January 02, 2018

by Julio Ochoa

Treatment for hepatitis C has improved dramatically in the last decade — so much so that it drew one doctor out of retirement to help make sure more low-income patients are cured.

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