New expensive treatments for hepatitis C infection

摘要

Treatment of infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) has changed substantially in the last 3 years, with new therapies now reaching cure rates (defined by sustained vi-rologic response) higher than 95%. As little as 3 years ago, treatment involved an arduous course of peg-ylated interferon and ribavirin, which caused serious adverse effects in more than 80% of patients; less than 50% of patients could finish the treatment course. Because HCV infection can be indolent, with slowly developing liver injury in the form of scarring and fibrosis, many patients were so-called warehoused by their physicians, followed up closely while waiting for more promising treatments.1