Hepatitis C is not a new issue but it seems like the outbreaks are always shocking. The fact that there is one among 33 baby boomers has hepatitis C should open everyone’s mind about what is actually going on. Based on the new report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the death rate due to Hepatitis C is risen. Baby boomers are eventually at risk since two-thirds of them are Hepatitis C cases.
Dr John Ward also said that, one of every 33 baby boomers are living with Hepatitis C infection. It is surprising since it’s often considered ast a silence epidemic. The infection is mostly caused by sharing needle in injecting drugs. Before 1992, Hepatitis C was infected through blood transfusion. In USA there are about 3.2 million people were having this chronic liver disease. However half of them were not knowing the condition. Hepatitis C virus will gradually scar the liver and it is also the lead cause to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure.
Dr. Ward also stated that the mortality numbers because of Hepatitis C will keep increasing for 10 to 15 years later unless something different is done to overcome this issue. There is a solution for this issue that is to use two drugs treatment which is expected to be used to increase about 40% cure possibility. However, there are many patients refused this treatment since it could cost up to $30,000.
Vertex pharmaceuticals telapravir and Merck & Co.’s boceprevir start to change the pessimism. The research suggests to add them to a standard therapy. It can boost the cure rates up to 75% though it has side effect since they will just allow the patient to finish this treatment within six months. The price is also increasing for $1,000 to $4,000 per week. Test was also held to see the better drugs’ result.
The second study is published in February 21 and confirms that the method is able to save potential 82,000 lives. Meanwhile, the third study was published from Stanford University which looked on the price tag and found that this method is cheaper than liver transplantation which cost more than $100,000.
Dr. Gary Grogg, Montifiore internist said that the numbers of patients having Hepatitis C test is increasing after seeing the awareness advertisement from drug’s company. He stated that this disease is considered as a curable disease which makes it all different. Based on WebMD, the symptoms of hepatitis C are very tired feeling, belly and joint pain, sore muscles, yellowish skin and eyes, itchy skin and also dark urine but most of this hepatitis C symptoms don’t show so people would not know if they were infected with this disease.
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