FDA Approves Pricey Breakthrough Hepatitis Pill
FDA Approves Pricey Breakthrough Hepatitis Pill – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first once-a-day dose pill for the treatment of type 1 Hepatitis C.
Big news from the medical community from the people who suffer from Type 1 Hepatitis C. Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first once-a-day combination pill to fight the virus. The breakthrough medication for adults is called Harvoni and is made by the biotechnology company, Gilead Sciences. According to the FDA, the pill will completely transform the treatment standard for the more than 3 million Americans living with hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C affects the liver and leads to inflammation and and is contracted through the blood of an affected person. Harvoni will eliminate the need for the one standard and painful interferon injection treatment that causes a number of side effects, including intense itching and flu-like symptoms.
In trials, Harvoni didn’t just get rid of the symptoms, it essentially cured over 80% of the patients with few side effects. But gaining access to the drug could prove challenging for many Americans– Harvoni is very expensive.
A spokeswoman for Gilead says the price is a reflection of the medication’s value. As an analyst for NBC points out, the price is actually lower than the current standard treatment, and that relatively lower price could actually help patients gain access to the medication. The writer reports that the higher price of Gilead’s Sovaldi has hit the medical insurers hard, forcing them to implement strict regulations on which medications would be eligible for coverage.
It’s still unkown how the insurance companies will handle coverage of Harvoni. Members o f the Senate have reportedly asked Gilead to show documentation explaining why the medication will cost so much.
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