Hepatitis C Research Fund - Blog

Breakthrough Could Lead to Cure for Chronic Liver Disease

DebbieG — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:25:58 +0000

Scientists have been able to stimulate the liver to produce hepatocytes. Continued research in this area should in turn lead to new drugs to perform this function and therefore, drastically reduce the demand for liver transplants. http://www.independent.ie/health/health-news/breakthrough-could-lead-to-cure-for-chronic-liver-disease-3039443.html?trkv=4863917&trks=4691761

Does Obama’s Proposal to Cut HIV Programs Mean More Funding for Other Diseases?

Debbie Green — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:25:46 +0000

Obama’s 2013 budget request proposed a 10.8% cut to direct international aid for HIV programmes under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) which, together with previous cuts, would slice more than US$1 billion from the fund’s 2010 level. http://www.nature.com/news/cuts-hamper-bid-to-tackle-aids-1.10173 Is this good news or bad news? Last fall, HCV-related deaths in the U.S. [...]

Progress on Hep C Vaccine

Debbie Green — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:31:06 +0000

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216095040.htm

Interferon Free Hep C Treatment Possible in the Near Future?

DebbieG — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:16:20 +0000

Combination of Oral Drugs Suppress Hep C in University of Michigan Study This study was conducted by Dr. Anna Lok, whom The Greenview Hepatitis C Fund supports. “In this pilot study, patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection, who had not responded to previous treatment with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin, were given a combination of [...]

American Liver Foundation Financial Resources Guide

DebbieG — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:11:42 +0000

Having trouble with health care costs? Here’s a guide that may help you: http://go.liverfoundation.org/site/DocServer/financial_resources.pdf?docID=5522

Get Free Newsletter on HCV Research and Treatment News Updates

DebbieG — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:45:57 +0000

Ok. We give up! The news on HCV research is coming out way to fast and furious for us to deal with. Hepatitis Central has a much bigger staff to be able to handle this, so we are directing you to their free newsletter (and website) for any future news on HCV. http://www.hepatitis-central.com/list.html We will [...]

Are Accelerated Approvals of Drugs a Good Thing?

DebbieG — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:59:49 +0000

“In the past two years, the agency’s(FDA) lower levels of approvals—21 drugs in 2010 and 25 in 2009—caused concern throughout the industry and in Congress. We may feel grateful to FDA, but we also should ask how the agency achieved this high number of approvals. Read more here

Patients with HCV have Low Levels of Vitamin D

DebbieG — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:55:28 +0000

“Chicago—Retrospective findings presented at the 2011 Digestive Disease Week meeting revealed that 64% of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have low levels of vitamin D (abstract Su1302). In light of the results, researchers are urging clinicians to monitor vitamin D levels in all patients with chronic viral [...]

Eltrombopag Studied for Improving Platelet Counts for HCV Patients

DebbieG — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:51:16 +0000

Milk Thistle No Better than Placebo Study Claims

DebbieG — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:41:09 +0000

“Although well tolerated,” Fried’s team concluded, “oral silymarin administered at higher-than-customary doses did not significantly alter biochemical markers of disease activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C who had failed prior treatment with interferon-based regimens.” Read more here