Hepatitis C is a frequently asymptomatic infectious disease that affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver that makes it lose its attributes). It is commonly transmitted through needles and other unsterilized tools previously used by a carrier, blood transfusions and seldom through sexual contact. The disease is only treatable after it becomes chronic, as there is no vaccine for the virus causing it.

A recent study published in the ‘New England Journal of Medicine’ says Telaprevir, a therapy that prevents the virus from proliferating, could reduce the treatment time for most patients to six months. It generally takes twice as long for a patient to heal using standard therapy. The virus becomes resistant to telaprevir after a short period – therefore, the drug must be combined with other types of treatment. About 72% of the subjects were cured after being treated with telaprevir, pegylated interferon and ribavirin. This does not necessarily mean the virus has been eradicated, but its levels are so low that they can be kept under control by the host’s immune system.

The 1,097 people suffering from hepatitis C involved in the study had never been exposed to standard therapy. Fred Poordad, MD, lead researcher in the study said: ‘This means that rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, we can individualize treatment for patients based on their specific response to the drugs. Once you’re cured by these anti-viral drugs, you’re cured of hepatitis C completely. That’s a little known fact among the public - and even among physicians who don’t regularly treat liver disease.’

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