HCV and Primary Care: A Special Report Recap

Until recently, no therapies could be relied upon to eradicate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the majority of patients completing therapy, according to Rodger D. MacArthur, MD and Merin Varghese, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Also, the available therapies were associated with many adverse effects, 6 months or more of treatment was required, and the therapies often were associated with end-of-treatment relapses.Now a number of forces are reshaping the HCV landscape, the authors say, with primary care physicians poised to play a bigger role in patient care.The slides above offer a recap of Drs MacArthur and Varghese’s report on the current and future state of HCV. SPECIAL REPORT On HEPATITIS C  Hepatitis C and Primary Care: Introduction Hepatitis C Report: Tuning in to a Silent EpidemicHepatitis C Screening for High Risk PatientsHepatitis C Report: What Tests to OrderMedicaid Is Tight on Hepatitis C Drug CoverageNewer Hepatitis C Drugs Mean Direct ActionHepatitis C: What If You Do Not Treat?Hepatitis C Drugs Meet Resistance Issues