HCV News
Week Ending 06/01/2015
Climbing for Carleen: One family's mission to change the way people think about hepatitis C
'In 2011, Carleen and James McGuffey had just moved to Colorado Springs from Texas when they found out Carleen was pregnant with the couple's sixth child. They were ecstatic. But it wasn't long after that they found out during a routine pregnancy checkup that Carleen had hepatitis C.'
Predictive Analytics Identify High Risk Hepatitis C Patients
'Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed a predictive analytics algorithm that uses basic EHR data to flag patients at high risk of developing complications from the hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a study published in the most recent issue of Hepatology. As payers seek to control the costs of extremely expensive but highly effective new HCV treatments like Sovaldi, the use of clinical analytics to pinpoint the most meaningful course of treatment for patients may help to avoid unnecessary spending.'
Cooperation among viral variants helps hepatitis C survive immune system attacks
'Warring armies use a variety of tactics as they struggle to gain the upper hand. Among their tricks is to attack with a decoy force that occupies the defenders while an unseen force launches a separate attack that the defenders fail to notice. A study published earlier this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may employ similar tactics to distract the body's natural defenses.'
Merck files all-oral hepatitis C therapy in US: Seeking approval for grazoprevir and elbasvir, which already has FDA breakthrough status
'Merck & Co has submitted its single-tablet combination therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) to the US FDA as it tries to catch up with the leading players in the all-oral therapy sector. Merck - known as MSD outside the US - is seeking marketing approval for a once-daily fixed-dose combination of its NS3/4A protease inhibitor grazoprevir and elbasvir, an NS5A replication complex inhibitor, which has been awarded breakthrough status by the FDA.'
Senator Kirk Joins America Legion to Rise Hepatitis C Awareness for Veterans
'In an effort to raise hepatitis C virus (HCV) awarenss for veterans, U.S. Sentaor Mark Kirk (R- IL) joined Marty Conaster, Adjutant of the Mwerican Legion Department of Illinois, Paul Gardner, Senior Vice Commander of the Merican Legion Department of Illinois, and Argo Summit Post Commander Reggie Rice at a free Hepatitis C testing event in Summit, IL.'
Now Available! Archived Webinar on Hepatitis C Prevention Opportunities Among People Who Inject Drugs -
'Last month, as part of ongoing efforts to increase awareness of viral hepatitis among populations at risk, we were pleased to host a webinar Hepatitis C Prevention Opportunities Among People Who Inject Drugs: Confronting the Growing Epidemic. Participants learned about trends in hepatitis C, new tools, and prevention messages, and also reviewed hepatitis C prevention efforts targeted towards PWID. PWID are at high risk for hepatitis C infection, and the nationwide increases in new hepatitis C infections and injection drug use require focused public health efforts to address the specific needs of PWID.'
