Untreated Hep C concern

DESPITE the listing of highly effective hepatitis C medicines on the PBS in 2016, as many as 58,000 Australians living with the virus are yet to “take advantage of new highly effective cures”, according to the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA).

SHPA Chief Executive, Kristin Michaels, highlighting Hepatitis Awareness Week (22-28 Jul), said the recent history of promising new hepatitis medicines had been a bright, albeit temporary, success story.

“As organisations mark Hepatitis Awareness Week, SHPA lends its voice to awareness-raising efforts to mitigate the health burden of untreated hepatitis C in the Australian community,” she said.

“The listing of hepatitis C medicines on the PBS in 2016 allowed some hospital pharmacy departments – with the capability to do so – to step up and proactively provide treatments to patients, as community treatment systems had not yet been established.”

Dispensing volumes for these products has dropped to one third of the 2016 peak, Michaels explained, as the bulk of treatment follow up has moved to primary care and community pharmacy.