Hep C Discussion Forum

Very good news for the most severely affected Hep C patients in England - well done our NHS! 

Press Release, 16th April: NHS England has approved an £18.7 million investment in a new drug for the treatment of hepatitis C.

Around 500 patients with acute liver failure, and/or awaiting liver transplantation, are expected to benefit from the decision to fund Sofosbuvir.

The recommendation of NHS England`s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) means that whilst not yet approved by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), Sofosbuvir will be funded for those patients at significant risk of mortality or who require transplantation.

Professor Graham Foster, Professor of Hepatology and co-Chair of the Hepatitis C Clinical Reference Group sub-group welcomed the news.  He said:

"The recently licensed, new, direct-acting antiviral drugs for hepatitis C may be life-saving for infected patients with advanced cirrhosis.  I am delighted that NHS England will make these drugs available for these patients and allow us to treat those in urgent need."

"The availability of these drugs will ensure that NHS patients are among the first in Europe to benefit from these revolutionary new drugs".

http://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/04/16/hepatitis-c/

See also, the NHS Interim Commissioning Commissioning Policy Statement regarding funding arrangements for Sofosbuvir plus Daclatasvir/Ledipasvir +/- Ribavirin for defined patients with Hep C in England...

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/sofosbuvir-pol-stat.pdf