Hepatitis drug cure subsidised THOUSANDS of patients with a
previously incurable strain of hepatitis C will be disease-free,
with two new drugs providing the first breakthrough in a decade
for treating the chronic condition. For those unsuccessfully
treated by existing drugs, hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer,
organ failure and the need for a transplant. It is expected more
than 130,000 patients will benefit from two drugs, boceprevir
and telaprevir, which the federal Health Minister, Tanya
Plibersek, announced on Tuesday would be subsidised by the
government. Patients would otherwise pay up to $78,000 for the
drugs. ''More than 40 per cent of people seen needing liver
transplants have had chronic hepatitis C. These drugs, in
combination with existing treatments, will lead to a much better
cure rate,'' Ms Plibersek said. ''Over the next few years we
hope 9000 cases of liver damage will be prevented and we will
stop the need for liver transplants for 870 people.'' Hepatitis
C is spread through blood-to-bloo