New Drugs For Hepatitis C: Part 2 – Boceprevir And Telaprevir Dosing Regimens And Side Effects
This article is second in a two-part series that will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of two drugs, boceprevir and telaprevir, which are being developed for hepatitis C. Part 1 discussed the efficacy of the two drugs in clinical trials. Part 2 discusses the complications and side effects for each drug.
An advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended this week that two new drugs for hepatitis C, boceprevir (made by Merck) and telaprevir (made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals) be approved. Although both boceprevir and telaprevir promise a better chance of a cure, neither drug is particularly easy to take.
Both have fairly complicated proposed dosing regimens in which the length of treatment depends on how well a patient responds to the drugs. In addition, as with all drugs, both boceprevir and telaprevir can cause unpleasant or even dangerous side effects.
Complicated Dosing Schedules
The complexity of Merck’s proposed dosing schedule for boceprevir (also known by its proposed brand name, Victrelis) was a topic of conversation at the advisory committee meeting on Wednesday.
Dr. Lawrence Friedman, one of the advisory committee members, said that clinicians would need “the wisdom of Talmudic scholars” to decipher boceprevir’s prescribing information. The Talmud is the notoriously complex book of ancient Jewish law.
Both Merck and Vertex have proposed that most patients undergo response-guided therapy. Under this model, the length of treatment varies depending on how well a patient responds to the drugs.
For boceprevir, treatment-naïve patients would receive four weeks of standard treatment (ribavirin plus Pegasys or PegIntron), then 24 weeks of standard treatment plus boceprevir (for a 28 week total treatment length). However, if patients still had detectable hepatitis C virus (HCV) levels after eight weeks of boceprevir, treatment would be extended with an additional 20 weeks of standard treatment after finishing boceprevir (for a total treatment length of 48 weeks).
Patients who have been treated previously for hepatitis C would receive four weeks of standard treatment, then 32 weeks of standard treatment plus boceprevir (for a 36 week total treatment length). If patients still had detectable HCV levels after eight weeks of boceprevir, treatment would be extended with an additional 12 weeks of standard treatment after finishing boceprevir (for a total treatment length of 48 weeks).
If HCV is still detectable after 24 weeks or 12 weeks of treatment for treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients, respectively, Merck recommends discontinuing treatment with all three drugs.
The dosing regimen for telaprevir is simpler but still complex. Patients take telaprevir, ribavirin, and Pegasys or PegIntron for 12 weeks. If patients have undetectable HCV levels after four and 12 weeks of treatment, they continue to take ribavirin plus Pegasys/PegIntron for an additional 12 weeks (for a total treatment length of 24 weeks). If they have detectable HCV levels at four or 12 weeks, they take ribavirin plus Pegasys/PegIntron for an additional 36 weeks (48 weeks of treatment total).
For both drugs, the FDA may recommend that certain subsets of patients – such as treatment-experienced patients who have had only partial or minimal response to standard treatment in the past – undergo treatment for the maximum 48 weeks.
Both drugs are taken three times daily (every seven to nine hours) and should be taken with food. Vertex noted during the meeting Thursday that it is working on a twice-daily dose of telaprevir.
Patients and patient advocates were both concerned by the proposed dosing schedules and whether their complexity would discourage physicians from prescribing the drugs.
“It’ll be very imperative for the labels of these products, and the medical provider education materials, to be carefully constructed to make prescribing of these drugs an option for a wide group of providers and their patients, and not just a handful of specialists,” said Martha Saly, Director of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, at the meeting on Thursday.
Side Effects May Include Anemia And Rash
Both of the new drugs also have potentially serious side effects. Patients in clinical trials for both drugs commonly experienced fatigue and nausea.
In addition, both drugs were associated with more frequent and severe anemia (low blood iron levels), which was a concern for the advisory committee.
Standard hepatitis C treatment, particularly with ribavirin, is already associated with anemia. Anemia can result in symptoms such as weakness or fatigue; in severe cases it can lead to heart problems and may necessitate blood transfusions.
In the boceprevir trials, around 50 percent of participants experienced anemia, compared to 30 percent of participants who did not receive the drug. In the telaprevir trials, rates were 36 percent and 15 percent for participants who did or did not receive the drug, respectively.
However, participants in the boceprevir trial were allowed to treat their anemia with erythropoietin (EPO), a drug that stimulates production of red blood cells, or lower their dose of ribavirin. As a result, it is uncertain how often boceprevir causes anemia or how severe it is. EPO is not approved by the FDA for treatment of anemia in hepatitis C patients, although some doctors prescribe it anyway.
Participants in the telaprevir trial were not allowed to receive EPO. Around 3 percent of participants taking telaprevir discontinued the drug due to anemia, versus less than 1 percent of participants taking only ribavirin plus Pegasys.
In addition to anemia, a majority of participants taking telaprevir (56 percent) reported getting a rash; around 20 percent experienced discomfort (such as itchiness or inflammation) in the anus or rectum. For most participants these symptoms were mild or moderate and did not lead to discontinuation of the drug.
However, a small number of participants experienced life-threatening rashes while taking telaprevir. In particular, three patients had suspected cases of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a potentially fatal condition in which the top layer of skin begins to die due to a severe immune system reaction.
Usually Stevens Johnson Syndrome is extremely rare, affecting an estimated 300 people per year in the U.S. Several committee members were highly concerned that three cases appeared during the telaprevir clinical trials, which included around 2,200 participants.
Some patients expressed concern about the “telaprevir rash” during the meeting on Thursday, and whether patients and clinicians would know how to deal with it.
“What happens if a patient, who knows nothing about rash, gets a rash on a weekend? What are they going to do? They might get nervous. They might stop telaprevir without knowing that they might have waited until Monday to go see their doctor,” said Jules Levin from the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project.
Sonia Spangenberg, a nurse and participant in one of the telaprevir trials, agreed that careful doctor and patient education would be needed. “I would really like to encourage development of more precise identifying and treatment protocols,” said Spangenberg.
As part of its bid for approval, Vertex has agreed to provide patient and physician educational material on the rash, including when telaprevir should be discontinued.
Spangenberg stated that she did not feel that the side effects of telaprevir, including the rash, were significant enough that people should not take the drug.
“I experienced every single one of the side effects that were mentioned here today,” she said. “I heartily endorse this drug approval. I think it’s just too beneficial to snag up on something like that.”
For more information, please see the FDA websites for the boceprevir and telaprevir advisory committee meetings or the related AIDS Beacon article on the implications of boceprevir and telaprevir for people who are co-infected with HIV and HCV.
Related Articles:
- New Drugs For Hepatitis C: Part 1 – Boceprevir And Telaprevir Provide Higher Cure Rates
- FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Approval For Second New Hepatitis C Drug Telaprevir
- FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Approval For New Hepatitis C Drug Boceprevir
- HIV Physicians Are Cautiously Optimistic About Boceprevir, Telaprevir For HIV-HCV Co-Infected Patients
- FDA Approves Vertex’s New Drug Incivek For Treatment Of Hepatitis C
The SVR of VITAMIN D w/standard interferon protocol is 84-96%.
There are ZERO side effects.
The Merck drugs are duds.
If you have Hep C and ignore your vitamin D health be sure your last will and testament are up to date.
Look it up!
http://www.natap.org/2010/EASL/EASL_26.htm
I had been on 4 treatments for Hep-C. Each one was a newer version of the last treatment (I was in 2 drug studies). Then first treatment was when you drew up the interferon from a vial and did injections 3 times a week. For myself no matter how bad the side effects were or how difficult the drug routine was to follow; I would never quite.
As a hepper there is so little for us to hang our hope on. I believe most fellow heppers would feel the same way. This is a mean virus with a mean treatment plan. But I want that chance to have my life back with hope.
I hope I can get on all this.I’m a fighter,survivor I will not quit.I feel the risks are better thn death.I have Hep C Cronic.God I pray for this have hope.I have courage,not a quitter. I will do anything to live.I had two sisters die within a month apart I dont want to be the third and the last. I will stay as positive as can be,and keep going through my day no matter what.
I will drink alot more milk wow didnt realize that.Thank You so much,I didnt Know. Sherrill
Just found out I had Hep C. I am going into this blind. If anyone has any advice, i would be grateful. I am 29 and am a mother of 4. I need to beat this. Shoot me an email at jessicagray405@gmail.com
i just found out that with my “top notch” insurance of Blue Cross PPO, the combination therepy will cost me about 3000 a month WITH INSURANCE. i pay 700 a month in insurance now…what is the point..i cannot afford it so do i just wait to die? every one in this country who is against national health care where you do not have to worry about these things as my friends in other countries, you just get all your care for free without question (yes you pay some taxes but am i not paying “taxes” of 700 a month to the insurance company? The head of mine did get upwards of 10 million in bonus last year so…i am sick and sick of this country. The money spent on just this war in the last year would pay medical care for everyone. no one thinks of that
Terence,
We’re very sorry to hear about your insurance situation. If you haven’t already, one thing you can do is look into co-pay assistance programs from the pharmaceutical companies that make the hepatitis C drugs. For example, if you’ve been prescribed Incivek (telaprevir), Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a co-pay assistance program that will pay your Incivek co-pay, up to 20 percent of the price of the drug. There are no income limitations. You can reach them at 1-855-VERTEX-GPS (1-855-837-8394).
For most of the other drugs, the companies only provide assistance if you have no insurance. However, they may help you find non-profits that will assist with your co-pays. Genetech, for example, which makes Pegasys (peg-interferon alfa-2a) and Copegus (ribavirin), has a program called Pegasys Access Solutions that will help you apply for co-pay assistance from non-profit organizations:
http://www.genentechaccesssolutions.com/portal/site/AS/menuitem.7ef3b8542d7c63460313edacd79c23a0/?vgnextoid=12271d41003c9210VgnVCM100000d70bf60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=22b048a5cf199210VgnVCM100000d70bf60aRCRD
We hope this helps. Please let us know if we can provide any additional information, and best of luck with your insurance and treatment.
Terence:
Are you sure about your co-pays? I have crap insurance with Aetna, and my co-pay would be $930 a month if I had not gotten eligibility from the VA. That number is for standard treatment with Pegasys, and ribavirin. I have no idea what the co-pay would be with either of the new drugs, but my gastro team has said many insurance companies are not planning on covering them. If your treatment includes one of the two new drugs that may explain the high cost.
I’m on Blue Cross PPO also, and I was told it would only cost me $35 for a three month supply of Boceprevir if I get it through their online Medco pharmacy. I will also have to pay a similar copay for Ribavirin and PegIntron. It doesn’t make sense that you would have to pay so much. Last time I was on treatment, it was very affordable.
So were the 3 with the serious Skin condition – when they went off the drugs did the skin return to normal or did they need skin grafts?
I was just wondering.
I’m fighting Hep C with ALL natural supplements 35 a day and feel better than I have in years. Am genotype 1a and have not had standard treatment.
God bless you all and I hope you all beat it!
I just wanted to say I always hold a good thought for all who are sick. Whether it is Hepatitis, AIDS, Epilepsy and so on. I have Epilepsy and I know it is not as severe as Hepatitis or AIDS nonetheless I to am waiting for a one time pill cure. I don’t feel confortable with Merck especially after the Vioxx drug. In case you did not know Merck has had many violations with many more drugs as well.
I have been doing history searches on new hope drugs for the past decade i.e. for Hepatitis, AIDS, Cancer to name a few. There is still no cure and the most drugs have been recalled, shown serious side effects, or the drug simply vanishes from the internet (I could find no trace of drug). I recently read an article on a new hope drug for AIDS @ OHSU to be the most promising, “they had a similar hope drug several years prior recalled by the FDA.” This current so-called 2011 new hope drug had a note in the caption at the bottom of the page- still at least eight years away.
What tears me apart is I can hear it and see it in your words that bit of hope to hang onto. I don’t want to see you crushed for the value of a quick profit. You are very strong and deserve the respect of the Pharmaceutical Industry. Please do the homework to see what other people have commented about taking this drug. Read everything you can before you start this drug and have your questions ready for your doctor. You could possibly shorten your life rather than prolong it.
Take Care
I was wondering is this an injection or a pill you will have to take?
Hello friends, this is tanuja from India.My mother had been diagnosed with hep c, genotype 1.she took treatment for 48 weeks with peginterferon and ribavarin. she was negative for d virus at 6mths of treatment and even after completion of treatment.
but as luck would ve been, she was detected again after 3mths of stopping d treatment i.e. she has relapsed.
D initial treatment was difficult to afford..and now boceprevir has been suggested..this drug is not yet licensed in India.
can anyone help me about how can i afford peginterferon, ribavarin and boceprevir combined therapy..
Lisa,
Both Victrelis (boceprevir) and Incivek (telaprevir) are pills, not injections.
Please let us know if you have any other questions.
i have just finished 48 week treatment for hep c i was geneotype 1 since finished which was 12 weeks ago my hand are swollen all my joints hurt they told me now i have a frozen shoulder, i think it is something else when i had my last viral check they siad it was 43 can has any body else been through this i feel thought i would be ok once treatment finished but i dont x
boceprevir is the best. I took 2 yrs ago drank like a fish. And still cured and now stoped drinking. That rash you get from the other med. Most people quite. And much shorter treatment time. Do it.
Im being offered this new treatment, with stage 5 cirrosis i was told that the drugs will cause futher fibrosis. that this is inevitable. what however is being aimed at is of course cure, but the liver will be damaged? indeed if it dosnt work one is left with hep c and increase fibrosis.
i also seem to hear very little about supportive measures like vit d, using milkthistle and alternatives to medication for side effects. im co infected with hiv. so its of real concern to me that im getting poor advise, im also not seeing much covered here in the articles.
i dont like risking my life to see if this works without this information. for although cure is possible im worried about these side effects.
Hildigar,
So far as we know neither of the new drugs — Incivek (telaprevir) or Victrelis (boceprevir) — are known to cause further liver damage. Both are approved for use in people with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. However, with both drugs the FDA recommends the full 48 week treatment course for people who have advanced cirrhosis, and there is some evidence that these patients may be more likely to have side effects and less likely to respond to treatment. Nonetheless, the new drugs do improve the likelihood of a cure when compared to treatment with just interferon plus ribavirin.
You may want to discuss your concerns further with your physician, particularly since you have HIV as well, which could affect your treatment.
Please let us know if we can provide any more information, and best of luck.
I’m scared I don’t know how this treatment is going to act on me. I start in 4weeks God please help me threw this Amen
Hi I start on this medicine on Tuesday, wish all luck who are under treatment! Becky I am scared too!!!!!! I lost my sister 2 months ago to Cancer! She was my BEST FRIEND! I also have a 16 month old daughter and a 25yr old son!! Crazy!! Life is what we make of it lets all think positive!!!!!!!!! We will get through this with hope and prayer!!!!!! God Bless All
Hey everybody! I have been reading what you all have had to say…i wanted to tell you guys thanks! i feel so alone with this whole situation alot of the times. i am a 23yr old mother of a 3yr old little boy:) I found out about a yr ago and have been putting off treatment.i was diginosed with moderate fibrossis. i went to my the Doctor today. I am doing okay but we do need to start treatment soon. i am so freaked. what if it dont work? How do i fight that fear?
Is there a complete cure for hepa B? How lng can this be if really there is?. Thanks.
Hey all,
I am an African American woman who acquired hep c at the age of 16 as a result of a blood transfusion. As you all know, the old and new drugs’ success rate is a lot lower for me than for my white counterparts!
I am 52 years old now but am told that I look 40. I have never drank, smoked cigarettes or used drugs and… have a very good outlook on life. This virus kicks my butt at times but I keep going because that’s what I do best!
I tried the the ribavirin and pegasys last year-it did not work. Yet, I am still hopeful and prayerful. I will meet with members of my medical team very soon to start the regime. Yes, I am anxious but I am also claiming my healing with the new medication.
I am ready for whatever side affects comes with it because I am a conquerer and survivor! I share my story to encourage you all and will keep each of you in my daily prayers. God can everything but fail! Be encouraged. I will keep in touch.
Hi, I am a 64 year old Grandmother of 13. I contacted Hep C from a blood transfusion after a car accident in 1982. I am so glad to hear from others who have concerns from the new medications. I have taken the old treatment and it was not successful. I also have severe rhematoid arthritis and understant that there is the possibility that the new treatment could make it worse. Has anyone dealt with problem. God Bless everyone in their fight.
The VA Medical facilities for US veterans are now beginning to use Telaprevir in combination with the 2 traditional drugs of peginterferon, and ribavarin in the treatment of Hep C. The veteran has a choice of the traditional approach of just the two old standbys above noted, or of adding the Telaprevir to the regimen.
Unclear from the above comments to both parts 1 & 2 are weather the rash that appears with apparently ONLY Telaprevir [per one earlier comment] goes away after treatment.
Also unclear is whether liver scaring is reduced or eliminated by either of these new drugs.
Lastly, our liver specialists at the VA are telling us about some ‘side effect’ that can result if you miss a treatment with the Telaprevir. Can you elucidate further what that might be. I ask that only because the VA Medical System tends to scare the shit out of veterans about possible side effects to treatments., i.e., After taking the required class on colonoscopy procedures, the possibilities of a perforation scare at least 10-20% of the class out of getting the procedure at all. NO … EMPHASIS ADDED private internist would ever do that to their patients and they have a much greater possibility of being sued for medical malpractice than any VA doctor does.
I have known I have HepC for the past 15 years, I have been in the past on the peg-ribavarin treatment twice. The treatments were 9 years apart. My last gastroneoligist freaked me out and said I needed hospitalization asap. I have Blue Cross and I was directed to the Mayo Clinic, where extensive tests were done. Apparently I am not sick enough at the moment to get on the liver donor’s list as I have cirrhosis. On a positive note I asked my doctors at Mayo about taking the new medicine and decreasing my possibility of a liver transplant. I did not get a definite answer but it has been suggested to my doctor that I be put on new medicine. Hopefully I will be taking boceprevir. When my doctor told me I needed attention asap, I went crazy and cried for a couple of weeks till I realized that this is God’s plan for me, there is nothing I can do because my life is at His will. For those of you who have just found out you have HepC,,don’t ever give up, have Faith and be strong. There are programs from the drug manufactures’ that might possibly help you if you don’t have insurance. I had insurance and I still qualified for a free 12 month treatment of peg-ribavarin. I wish you all the best, and may God Bless everyone of you and guide you thru this. God NEVER let’s go of your hand.
I am 59 years old. I got Hep C from a blood transfusion as a result of an accident in 1966 when I was 13 years old. I started Incivek on 7/6/11 along with peg and riba. The first couple of weeks were not to bad then some side effect that kept me in bed quite a bit and feeling pretty sick. I often didnt know if I could continue…but I did …one day at a time. After 12 weeks when the incivek stopped the side effects got alot better …in fact not bad at all. Blood work has been great..after two weeks viral load undetectable and has remained so ever since.7 more weeks and I hope for the best.
I have what I consider good health insurance(wife was a NYC teacher) and my co pay for the Incivek was $ 8700 per month (half the cost of the drug).I called vertex and was told that for a 2 person household if your income is grester than $ 58,000 you do not qualify for their program.
So its a major financial consideration as well as the side effects. Also I would say that I could not have worked for most of the first 12 weeks. which is another big consideration. Good luck to all in the battle.
I have just recently opted to undergo treatment for Chronic Genotype 1 HCV Infection. After consulting with my specialist on treatment options I was informed that I could participate in clinical reasearch study involving 2 new experimental drugs named GS-5885 and GS-9451 which are taken in concert with PEG and RBV.
As a participant in this study (which btw has already been proven to have a 60-70% success rate) I will not have to pay for the treatment as it is a fully sponsored study by a scientific company known as Gilead Sciences Inc. located in Foster City CA
My recommendation to those of you who are concerned about the cost of treatment is to ask your respective specialists about this particular study and try to find out how you can become involved in it. I must admit, after having read a few of these posts regarding this concern, that I am quite perplexed as to why this avenue has not been brought to your attention. Although I’m in Canada, I would think that this study would be available in the US as well, considering that it is being sponsored by a company situated in the US.
I sincerely hope this information proves to be helpful to any and/or all of you that have been stricken with this dreadful disease.
Best wishes and good luck to you all!!
I’m on my second month of Interferon/Ribaviran/Telepravir.It’s no walk in the park but I want my life back and will do what it takes.All three medications make me feel fatigued beyond belief.I get little rashes all over which is a nuisance.Even with all these unpleasant side effects not doing this treatment was never an option.I hope anyone that is sick at least tries this.The chance of being healthy again is just to great.If anyone knows any way to increase the chances of success it would be appreciated gretly.
I also have Hep C and was in a study, but had to withdraw because of low white blood cell count. After that I started the traditional ribavirin and pegintron therapy, and that was unsuccessful. I should be starting the Teleprevir in a month or two. Even though I am concerned about the side sffects ( I had to take neupogen for white blood cells, and got a systemic rash also)I still think my chances are better with the meds than waiting to get cancer or cirrhosis. Good luck to us all!!
Milkthistle has just been proven to be completely ineffective by the FDA. It did worse than placebos. Don’t even bother. I don’t quite understand this statement from Richard above
“boceprevir is the best. I took 2 yrs ago drank like a fish. And still cured and now stoped drinking. That rash you get from the other med. Most people quite (sic). And much shorter treatment time. Do it.”
You must take boceprivir for a longer period than Telaprevir. Telaprevir gives you the rash but you spend less time on that drug than you do on Boceprevir.
???????????????
Jeff H. from above raised an interesting point. Drug trials. I’ve been ineligible for every one of them because I was not “treatment naive.” (I had taken about 6 weeks of Intron A back in 1998 – which did NOTHING – and they would NOT let me in on ANY study, and there was NO protocol for “treatment experienced” HCV+ people). However, I’ve read online that the 2 newer drugs being tested at this time have a much lower side effect profile, meaning, you don’t get nearly as sick and non-functioning as you can get with Boceprevir and Telaprevir. It’s just like when Crixivan came out for HIV. People got sick as a dog on it, but as protease inhibitors for HIV improved, the side effects got less and less. I suspect this will happen for folks like us. Hang in there!!!!
I started out this time at 1,700,000 After 8 weeks with boceprevir I was down to 90,yes under 100. Do I still have a chance or did it just stop there?
Hihihi Laura, The same – started with 1.5mio in 4 weeks I am at 46. Do not know the outcome. Genotype 1 + Diabetus 2 type + 48yo.
Well,guess we’ll have to just be patient, wait and see. 1A 45yoa, good luck to you Denis.
Are there any treatments for the side effects from the triple drug therapy?
Okay, what does detectable but not quantative mean? I am at week 15 now and the results from my 12 blood work came back with this. At week 8 my svr was 90 from 1mil7. Still on treatment with Boceprevir.
Just started Victrelis on day 29. So far no bad sides from the peg and RIBA. Just really tired. I take the peg on Saturday night and feel pretty crappy Sunday and Monday. By Tuesday I am back to work. Waiting for my viral loads which I should have this week. Praying for 28 weeks and not 48. To any one contemplating starting the treatment–do it. My insurance pays for everything except a $90 per month copay.
I will be starting the boceprevir in may/2012. I have hope by reading how the treatment worked for them. When may comes, I shall post my journey, for everyone else going through this, good luck,good health,Cure.
Hi Laura, on the low end of a quantitative assay there is usually a lower limit of detection, meaning the signal is strong enough that the viral rna is detected but not strong enough to be accurately quantified. There is also a lower limit of quantitation and at this value (and above) the concentration of viral rna can be accurately measured and reported. If your load is detectable but not quantifiable it lies somewhere between these two values.
Hope this helps and hang in there. I’m also undergoing treatment but with incivek.
Have learned that vit- D-3 really does help with the joint pain.
Hello Fati Gue,
Thanks to you and good luck with your treatment.
Laura
On week 22 of triple with telaprevir and HIV 20 yrs. Didn’t really feel the heavy fatigue until 2 weeks ago. Have to watch my t-cells as the treatment can run them down. The only things I’ve found useful for side effects is vicoprofen 7.5 3 times a day, and prozac 40mg a day and anti anxiety meds at night. Those energy protein drinks help when you can’t eat. The first day after the interferion shot is worst. The fear is great of a return, but keeping a positive attitude and walking 1 to 2 miles a day really helps the anxiety. It’s ok to put friends and obligations on hold or nap in the middle of the day if you can.
I had my insurance for many years with Blue Cross at the cost of $1100.00 a month. I now have the new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance that was created under the Affordable Care Act. If you have HepC you will qualify for this insurance. To be eligible you have to be uninsured for 6 months and have a pre-existing condition. Go to http://www.pciplan.com or http://www.healthcare.gov. To apply you can call 1-8666-717-5826.I pay $376 a month and after a deductible of $500 all my medications are covered at no extra cost. This insurance saved my life. I now have the same insurance as my Congressman.
I am 57 and I have had HepC since the age of 14. Have hope. I have been through all the drugs and I now am going to try Boceprevir.I fought cancer last year but it was a walk in the park compared to Hep C.I feel very greatful to our President and I will continue to fight for Health Care Reform. I am the 99%. God Bless all of you.
plz tel me that if sum 1 is taking pegysis plus ribavirin…then suddenly after 4 weeks SGPT level increases then what does it mean???i need answer quick
this is a bit of information that I think everyone should know when they are taking the encivik and rabavirin and interferon. i just had to stop all my meds at 11 weeks because of steven johnson syndrome.I know this is a rare for any one to get this but we need to be aware of this . My Dr said it will probably cause a rash.and lots more side effects. will i got all the side effects and still toughed it out. Kept telling the Dr. this rash is very bad. Its not just a rash. of course they did not listen.. i went to the er and they said it it was rain drop psysorsis and sent me home. it got so bad if went to another hosp and they were very upset. they said if the skin in my mouth started to come off i had to go to vanderbilt to the burn unit! it was so bad my kids took my phone away so i couldnt look it up. Im not saying not to take the meds but watch the rash..it can be so severe it can kill you.if the Drs dont listen go somewhere else.I just kept roughing it out because i know if you stop the incevik you cant start it again. its not worth it. be careful
Just wanted to say to Anne (last comment was March 2012) that I have been on the triple meds for 5 weeks now and just recently started with the rashes here there and everywhere. My Dr. Is very concerned about them and they are being monitored by me all the time. I will see him in 2 days and see what he thinks. They aren’t horrible but very annoying at this point.inhope I can keep them under control.