hepatitis C

FDA's Approval Of A Cheaper Drug For Hepatitis C Will Likely Expand Treatment

1:30pm October 04, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Mavyret, recently approved by the Food And Drug Administration, can cure hepatitis C in eight weeks, at a cost of $26,400. Though still expensive, that's well below the price of other options.

As Cost Of U.S. Health Care Skyrockets, So Does Pay Of Health Care CEOs

9:02am July 27, 2017

Compensation in recent years for the CEOs of the largest U.S. health care companies has far outstripped the wage growth of nearly all Americans, an investigation by the news site Axios has found.

Queue Listen Now

Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams is President Trump's nominee for U.S. Surgeon General.

Trump's Surgeon General Pick Built Reputation Fighting HIV And Opioids In Indiana

2:41pm July 05, 2017

by Emily Forman

Dr. Jerome Adams is credited with persuading then-Gov. Mike Pence to authorize syringe exchanges in the state. If confirmed, public health advocates are hopeful he'll have sway in Washington.

Used syringes rest in a pile at a needle exchange clinic in St. Johnsbury, Vt. The CDC says needle exchanges like this one, where users can obtain clean needles, help reduce the rates of death and transmission among those suffering from hepatitis C.

Heroin Epidemic Is Driving A Spike In Hepatitis C Cases, CDC Says

6:37pm May 11, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

From 2010 to 2015, the number of new infections leaped nearly 300 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And researchers appear confident of the cause.

In two recent clinical trials of Harvoni and Sovaldi in the treatment of young people between the ages of 12 and 17, the drugs eliminated all traces of the hepatitis C virus in 97 to 100 percent of patients, generally in 12 weeks.

FDA Approval Of Hepatitis C Drugs For Kids Is Likely To Speed Treatment

5:00am April 19, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Many insurers have required that adults with hepatitis C be very sick before they can get access to expensive drug treatment. But Medicaid has special rules that may get kids and teens access sooner.

The number of doctors prescribing millions of dollars in medication annually in Medicare's drug program has risen considerably.

Health & Safety

A Growing Group Of Doctors Are Big-Money Prescribers In Medicare

7:16am November 17, 2016

In 2011, just 41 health care providers prescribed more than $5 million each in medicines under Medicare Part D. In 2015, that number was 514. The rise of expensive hepatitis C drugs is a factor.

Army Specialist Jim McGough with members of his unit in 1971. Then 19, he was photographed by a columnist from The Des Moines Register.

Name Of A Vietnam Veteran Killed By Hepatitis C Added To 'The Wall'

6:30am November 12, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Members of the military are more than twice as likely to have hepatitis C as the general public. For many, including Jim McGough, the virus takes its final toll decades after they are first infected.

New drugs like Harvoni effectively cure hepatitis C, but they haven't yet been approved for use in children.

Children Exposed To Hepatitis C May Be Missing Out On Treatment

7:28pm July 26, 2016

by Elana Gordon

Now that there are better treatments for hepatitis C in adults, doctors hope the drugs soon will be approved for use in children who were infected at birth. But many at-risk infants don't get tested.

Kanu, 13, is treated for hepatitis at a hospital in Thailand.

What Kills More People Each Year: TB, HIV/AIDS Or Viral Hepatitis?

4:28pm July 14, 2016

by Emily Sohn

The first systematic study of viral hepatitis uncovers surprising facts about the often overlooked disease.

Harvoni can cure hepatitis C, but the drug costs a fortune. Are loans to patients the answer?

Buying Costly Drugs On The Installment Plan: Could It Work?

8:42pm March 28, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Two academics suggest that loans financed by the private sector could be one way to help patients cover the cost of expensive, curative pharmaceuticals. Think mortgages.