Increased Eligibility for Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection with Shortened Duration of Therapy: Implications for Access to Care and Elimination Strategies in Canada

Abstract

BACKGROUND: All oral, highly effective direct-acting antiviral combinations, such as sofosbuvir-ledipasvir, have recently been licensed in Canada but cost as much as $67,000 for a 12-week course of therapy, representing a major economic barrier to predominately single-payer health care systems such as that found in Ontario. In hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 noncirrhotic patients with a baseline viral load of <6×106 IU/mL, treatment with sofosbuvir-ledipasvir can be shortened to eight weeks without compromising ≥95% efficacy. The number of HCV-infected patients in Ontario eligible for shortened therapy, and the associated cost savings, are unknown. The authors propose that treating every patient with shortened therapy, regardless of baseline viral load, would lead to significant public cost savings and collateral efficiencies, enabling increased HCV treatment capacity and cure.