Risk Of Developing Liver Cancer After HCV Treatment

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Cochrane Review Of HCV Drugs - The Controversy Continues

The Backstory
In the summer of 2017 a Cochrane Review concluded that achieving SVR (cure) for patients using hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) doesn't correlate with any long term benefits; reduce risks for HCV-related morbidity or all-cause mortality. Later that year, as we entered into November, Cochrane group’s conclusions changed, somewhat. Check out a quick overview, here.

Twitter & Mr. Chang
Henry E. Chang provided this blog with the above mentioned links, and kept the HCV community updated throughout the ongoing controversy by documenting each rebuttal on twitter, here is nice collection of his tweets: "Reactions from Hepatitis C Community on a Recent Cochrane Review of DAAs."

The Controversy Continues
On Twitter today an update from @HenryEChang

Authors of Cochrane HCV DAA review respond to AmJGastro Red Section commentary with their uncompromising worship for "well-designed & - executed RCTs to assess the utility of DAA treatment"→https://t.co/goqSWn2rC2

The Front Lines Of The Hepatitis C Crises
Patients, advocates, and physicians who have been on the front lines of the hepatitis C crises (for decades) understand first hand the damage Cochrane group’s irresponsible conclusions caused individuals living with HCV.

The Damage Is Done
Soon after the Cochrane Review was published, patients were hit with this horrendous headline in the media; "Hepatitis ‘wonder drug’ may be clinically ineffective, say experts." Leaving innocent patients confused and frightened, we'll never know how many people decided to forgo testing or treatment that summer, we can only surmise.

The New Era Of Hepatitis C Drugs

Today we have effective drugs to cure HCV, across all six HCV genotypes, including direct-acting antiviral therapy for people with severe liver damage, such as compensated cirrhosis, or kidney disease. HCV eradication is associated with the reversal of fibrosis, improvement of fibrosis and quality of life, as well as overall reduction of liver cancer, liver failure, risk of liver transplant, and liver-related mortality, including extrahepatic manifestations of HCV in patients who achieve SVR.

Do you think those Cochrane people, authors, men or women, even know the damage they have caused?

I do, and I am not alone.

Stay aware, stay healthy
Tina

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