Hepatitis C
Early treatment options posed significant efficacy and tolerability challenges for HCPs and patients. First- and second-generation direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionised Hepatitis C treatment. Today, 98% of people can be cured through an 8-12 week course of medicines. Swapping a lifetime of care, for a lifetime of memories.
In brief:
- A cure for most patients – DAA treatments offer efficacy rates (>98%) approaching cure
- Prevented disease progression – Near-curative DAA treatment can prevent advanced liver disease and liver-related death in many patients
- Improved Quality of Life – DAA treatment can also reduce the number of patients with additional health problems associated with chronic HCV
- Preventable resource use – Expanded access to DAA treatment for chronic Hepatitis C could lead to significant savings for EU healthcare systems
- Averted liver events – DAA treatment has reduced the proportion of transplants due to HCV-related liver disease
- Getting patients able to work again – DAA treatment improves work productivity and reduces days of sick leave in patients with chronic Hepatitis C
- Economic again – Improved work productivity due to DAA treatment translates to annual savings of €749 to €1,112 per employed patient (deep dive in 4 countries)
- Benefits outweigh costs – The DAA list price is offset by a reduction in multiple other healthcare costs, leading to a saving for society of €11,000 per patient (deep dive in Belgium)
Around 15 million Europeans are living with Hep C. If left untreated it can progress to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and cancer.
Early treatment options posed significant efficacy and tolerability challenges for HCPs and patients. First- and second-generation direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionised Hepatitis C treatment. Today, 98% of people can be cured through an 8-12 week course of medicines. Swapping a lifetime of care, for a lifetime of memories.
In the longer term, the cost savings to EU health systems due to the avoidance of costly treatments including liver transplants and cancer care will be enormous. A staggering 60,527 liver transplants were carried out in Europe between 2007 and 2017, more than half – 36, 832 – were for chronic Hep C patients. DAAs will continue to reduce the need for liver transplants due to HCV-related liver disease: 1 in 5 patients with advanced liver disease could be delisted from the liver transplant waiting list.
In Belgium, the cost of these innovative treatments is offset by savings made in other healthcare costs, leading to a net saving for society of €11,000 per patient.
Eliminating Hepatitis C by 2030 is one of the World Health Organisation’s goals. But finding and treating the many thousands of undiagnosed cases remains the biggest challenge.