Gilead to provide free hepatitis drugs to treat all people liviing with hepatitis C in Iceland

1 October 2015. Related: Hepatitis coinfection.

Simon Collins, HIV i-Base

On 7 October, the Icelandic Ministry of Health announced that an agreement with Gilead Sciences would enable all people with hepatitis C in Iceland to receive free treatment with new direct acting antiviral (DAA) oral treatment.

This will initially involve at least 1200 people, but people who are diagnosed over the next few years will also have access to treatment

In exchange, Gilead will use the results from the programme to study the potential for reducing HCV on a population level.

Earlier this year a similar plan was announced to provide treatment to 25,000 people with hepatitis C in Georgia, which at 7% of the population has one of the highest prevalence rates for HCV (coming third after Egypt and Moldavia). [2]

References:

1. Icelandic Ministry of Health. Efforts to eliminate hepatitis C in Iceland (7 October 2015).
   http://www.velferdarraduneyti.is/frettir-vel/nr/35288
   https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=is&u=http://www.velferdarraduneyti. is/frettir-vel/nr/35288&usg=ALkJrhhhurQgh3_3ybHALM0561HDHWyP5Q
2. Hirschler B. Gilead uses Georgia as free-drug testbed for hepatitis C elimination. Reuters. (22 April 2015).
   http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/22/us-health-hepatitis-gilead-georgia-idUSKBN0ND1XU20150422