Hepatitis C: 10 years to end the disease

The French Association for the Study of the Liver (AFEF) wants to eradicate hepatitis C within the next 10 years. Utopia or reality? The effectiveness of new treatments explains this stated desire. “We have gone from heavy and long treatments with significant side effects and cure rates of around 70% to simple, short, well-tolerated treatments which most often provide cure rates of over 95%. in only 3 months ”, explained this Friday Victor de Ledinghen, the secretary general of the AFEF.

These treatments are direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), such as sofosbuvir (called Solvadi), which first hit the market less than five years ago. Today, specialists have 7 molecules which, in combination, allow very good results to be obtained, “including in subjects who have failed treatments with interferon and ribavirin (first treatments for hepatitis C, editor’s note), in patients with cirrhosis or with recurrence after transplantation and in people co-infected with HIV, ”AFEF said.

A recent revolution

The therapeutic offer should also diversify by 2016 with the marketing of at least 3 additional drugs, which would also reduce exorbitant prices. In an article published at the beginning of May, Why actor precisely detailed the high initial cost of these treatments (up to 50,000 euros for 3 months) covered 100% by health insurance. This is why the health authorities recommend these treatments as a priority to the most affected patients. In 2014, more than 14,000 were treated and almost as many will be in 2015.

However, to eradicate the disease by 2025 as desired by AFEF, all patients will have to benefit from these new molecules. “The health authorities have defined the indications in which these new DAAs are reimbursed, the role of learned societies, such as AFEF, is to propose a global strategy for the care of people infected with HCV”, underlined Victor de Ledinghen. .

New recommendations

This is why specialists publish new recommendations this Monday. They propose to treat patients regardless of the severity of the fibrosis, contrary to what the authorities are currently advocating. They also recommend administering the treatment to patients infected with HCV genotype 3 (one third of infections in France), to those awaiting transplantation or having been transplanted, but also to people at high risk of transmitting the virus (users drug, male homosexuals with risky sexual practices or even detained). The Association also relies on therapeutic education and monitoring of cured patients.

According to AFEF, between 100,000 and 150,000 patients have been waiting for years for the treatment that can cure them of this potentially fatal disease.