New treatment for those with Hep C

Accused ‘had 1000 stolen identites’

A TWEED Heads man who allegedly had 1000 stolen identities on a laptop as part of a large-scale fraud syndicate has been refused bail.

Vaughan McNamara, 28, of no fixed address, was refused bail by Registrar Gavenlock who said McNamara was an “unacceptable risk” to the community with further charges expected to be laid.

“The accused is alleged to be in possession of identity documents and information that allow him to takeover the identities of others for financial gain,” the Registrar said.

It is alleged that last August McNamara gained unauthorised access his girlfriend’s bank account and transferred $24,000 to his account. Yesterday he was arrested after a police search of his BMW uncovered three mobile phones, a card-skimming device, 50 phone SIM cards, a laptop and 20 USB drives. His case was adjourned to August 6. THE 5695 Gold Coast residents living with untreated hepatitis C now have a new, once-daily, eight-week treatment option available to them.

The therapy contains two direct-acting antiviral agents that work to block the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a patient. Doctors consider a patient virologically cured of HCV if the patient has undetectable levels of the virus 12 weeks after completing the treatment course.

The PBS listing of MAVIRET is part of the Federal Government’s $1 billion investment in new direct-acting antiviral (DAAs) treatments to help reach the World Health Organisation target of hepatitis C elimination by 2030. The prevalence of chronic hepatitis on the Gold Coast is above the national average with 0.97 per cent of the population diagnosed. The rate is higher in the Gold Coast Hinterland at 1.67 per cent.