Hep C Discussion Forum

NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) consults on further draft guidance on the drug sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) for treating hepatitis C

15th Aug. 2014 - In further draft guidance NICE has recommended sofosbuvir (Sovaldi, Gilead Sciences) as a treatment option for some people with chronic hepatitis C. The positive recommendation follows receipt of additional information about the drug`s cost effectiveness from the manufacturer.

Commenting on the draft guidance Professor Carole Longson, Director of the NICE Centre for Health Technology Evaluation, said: "Hepatitis C is a major public health challenge. It is difficult to diagnose and each year there are many new infections."

"The problem is made worse because the potential side-effects of current treatments, such as interferon, which often needs to be given for a long period of time, mean that many people with the disease either don`t complete the full course, or are reluctant to seek treatment in the first place.

"New treatments, like sofosbuvir, can shorten the duration of interferon-based therapy and in some cases don`t need to be taken with interferon at all. This could potentially encourage more people to seek treatment.

"Our previous draft guidance concluded that the available evidence showed sofosbuvir to be an effective treatment for chronic hepatitis C in certain patients. However, there were some uncertainties in the evidence base for some subgroups of patients with chronic hepatitis C. The Committee has considered the additional evidence it requested from the manufacturer and we are pleased to be able to provisionally recommend sofosbuvir as a clinically and cost effective treatment for some people with chronic hepatitis C."

This is draft guidance; NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS. Until then, NHS bodies should make decisions locally on the funding of specific treatments.

Link to NICE press release and provisional treatment recommendations...

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/press-and-media/NICE-consults-on-draft-guidance-on-the-drug-sofosbuvir-for-treating-hepatitis-C