check with your specialist as there may be harmful interactions which may affect your chance of a cure. There are recognised drug interactions between these DAAs and some HIV medicines, antimycobacterials, St John’s Wort and some other common medicines.
Monitoring treatment When the amount of virus in your blood drops to an undetectable level and remains undetectable for 12 weeks after you complete treatment, it is known as a Sustained Virological Response (SVR). This means you are cured.
What if treatment doesn’t work? There is on-going research into new drugs and combinations so even if available treatments didn't work for you, stay in touch with your liver nurses or doctors. It is important to maintain regular liver health checks and keep up to date on when new and more suitable treatments may be available. For information about clinical trials, talk to your doctor or viral hepatitis nurse. Information on clinical trials in Australia can also be found on the Australian Clinical Trials. Read more about it at http://bit.ly/ozclintrials.
Support and information Hepatitis SA can answer many of your questions and talk to you about any concerns you have. We can also put you in touch with other people who have been on treatment who can share their experiences. Having a supportive network of friends, family and services could be helpful if you decide to start treatment.
How do I get started?
Hepatitis C Treatment
To get started on hepatitis C treatment, contact the viral hepatitis nurses. Central Adelaide Margery – 0423 782 415, Debby – 0401 717 953 or Anton – 0401 125 361 Northern Adelaide Michelle – 0413 285 476 or Bin – 0401 717 971 Southern Adelaide Rosalie – 0466 777 876 or Jeff – 0466 777 873 Vicki – 8204 4292
-----------------------Contact us Hepatitis SA – hepsa.asn.au 3 Hackney Road, Hackney SA 5069 T: (08) 8362 8443 | E: admin@hepsa.asn.au
Helpline:
1800 437 222
Department for Health and Ageing, SA Health has contributed funds towards this Program. Last updated: 8/12/2020
Hepatitis SA Helpline: 1800 437 222
Hepatitis C treatment There are highly effective cures for hepatitis C with over 95% success rate and little or no side effects. These drugs, known as direct acting antivirals (DAA) are available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Hepatitis C treatment regimens depend on individual factors such as disease severity, comorbidities and previous treatment experience. They are taken as tablets, mostly once a day, in various combinations with each other and/or with ribavirin. The following information about hepatitis C treatment is not meant to replace your doctor's advice. Your specialist will advise you on the best treatment option for you and provide details about the regimen prescribed for you.
Benefits of treatment A hepatitis C cure means: You will have a better quality of life. You won’t pass the virus to others. Your liver fibrosis and cirrhosis will reduce. Reduced risk of liver failure and liver cancer. Reduced risk of death from all causes.
Preparing for treatment Your viral hepatitis nurse will ensure that all the necessary tests are done before you begin. The tests may include:
Fibroscan – a non-invasive scan to assess the extent of fibrosis, if any, in your liver.
Some people may have ribavirin added to their treatment.
Genotype test to determine the strain of hepatitis C is no longer needed before treatment.
The treatment recommended for you will depend on your individual circumstances like whether you have undertaken treatment before, the condition of your liver and other health conditions you may have.
Viral load test to determine the amount of virus in your blood. This is used as a baseline for monitoring your progress through treatment. This test is not routinely required. HBV Test to determine whether you have been exposed to the hepatitis B virus. People who have been exposed to HBV require additional monitoring during hepatitis C treatment. Your nurse can provide tips and support for adhering to the treatment regime if required.
Treatment There are three main DAA treatments being offered in Australia that can treat all genotypes in as little as 8 to12 weeks. These three pan-genotypic therapies are: Epclusa (sofosbuvir + velpatasvir), Maviret (glecaprevir + pibrentasvir) and Vosevi (sofosbuvir + velpatasvir + voxilaprevir). Vosevi, the latest drug to be listed on the PBS, can cure those for whom treatment with the other DAAs had not worked.
Direct acting antivirals are generally well tolerated with few recognised side effects. Possible side effects vary from drug to drug but may include fatigue, nausea, headache, diarrhoea, itching, insomnia, weakness, tiredness, anaemia and feeling as though you have a cold. Speak to your doctor or nurse about which side effects may occur with your prescribed treatment. Side effects associated with ribavirin include anaemia, rashes, nausea and birth defects. Contraception is a must for BOTH men and women during, and for six months after, ribavirin treatment.
Adherence For the best chance of a cure, it is vital that you take all medicines as directed by your doctor. For tips on sticking to your schedule see Hepatitis SA Community News issue 73 (http://bit.ly/hcn-73)
Mixing medicines If you are taking other medicines including over the counter drugs or herbal remedies, please