The Province is providing public drug plan coverage of a new hepatitis C drug.
People with hepatitis C type 1 can now apply for coverage of Holkira Pak under the PharmaCare program.
Medical Head of Hepatitis for the B-C Centre for Disease Control Mel Krajden says the new medicine and vaccines are changing the face of the disease…
“If the vaccine is delivered to the population, it will eliminate hepatitis B in the future. Fro hepatitis C, given the effectiveness of these new drugs, over a decade there’s no reason not to eliminate hepatitis C, if we have the wherewithal and effort to basically diagnose people, engage them into care, and provide treatment.”
Krajden says baby boomers, Aboriginal Peoples, Intravenous drug users, and immigrants who were infected in their country of origin are the most at-risk groups.
“The vaccine has reduced infections by about 95%, and for people who are chronically infected with hep B, there are treatments that can control the virus and reduce the likelihood of liver damage or liver cancer. For hepatitis C there is no vaccine but there are these amazing new drugs which can cure about 95% of people, and they’re taken for a short period of time, roughly 8-12 weeks.”
Holkira Pak is the third Hepatitis medication covered under the PharmaCare act in the past year.