I rattle every cage I can think of but in terms of
getting the message out, right now locally we are concentrating on getting doctors to listen: because they have the medical records, they could contact patients whereas I can only reach people through media, when I can get it. This is something we could all do- contact medical centres. Letters, emails, talks: remember globally that medical professionals and their various organisations - (also worth a letter, must get on to that) are at the forefront of opposition against TPPA because they know what an enormous effect it will have on medication prices.
I will try and get onto posting some template letters that people could adjust by country, doctor etc. But the most powerful point, in terms of reaction, is always going to be our own personal one. Mine was, that naively last year, I was somehow sure that if something that could save me came along, the hospital here would be the first to hear of it, and then my GP, and one or both would have told me, and every diagnosed person, in a matter of days, not weeks or not at all. I trusted them to do that. It makes doctors mutter and squirm when I point out how far that is from the truth. I do see this as a narrow window of opportunity- no hepsters should be complacent and nor should doctors. As we have seen, only takes one or two to make a huge difference- UK has barely got that. EASL shifted their first point of opposition- go in armed with that.
Anyone feel free copy to adjust this- the links we put in follow up email we sent after dream team Tina, Allison and I went to some llocal GPS. you could just make it part of a campaign to contact doctors near you by email- just write your own start. We included the links we thought would most appeal to busy GP's. The first one obviously only applies to NZ
Dear.....
Prof Ed Gane on National Radio 4 May discussing Pharmac announcement and community roll out:
www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/mo...advance-for-patients
EASL endorsement on efficacy of Buyers Club- first results presented April 2016:
ilc-congress.eu/low-cost-generic-direct-...randed-formulations/
2 minute interview with Dr James Freeman just before that presentation:
www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/EASL/57399
Simple drug interaction tool to measure the direct acting antivirals against from Liverpool University:
www.hep-druginteractions.org/
The GP cheat sheet is found under the forum tab:
fixhepc.com/forum/forum-gp-cheat-sheet.html
This is the decision support tool, which is the prescribing tool I showed you.
fixhepc.com/hcv
. If you want to see everything on the site you would need to create a login.
Anything is searchable from the front page (eg melatonin or pawpaw) if you have a question. The Redemption Trial/ buyers club has various links throughout the website,
etc.