Good for you lizziechan. Agree with you, why wait until you continue to feel worse, and end up with a less favourable prognosis for treatment? After lying pretty dormant for so long, my symptoms seem to have ramped up a bit in the last 2-3 years. The only other option if they eventually get onto the PBS is wait for your disease progression to worsen sufficiently to the point of being eligible for treatment. I can’t see how anyone could believe this was tenable when there is an alternative.

Definitely onward and upward…all the best with your treatment lizzie.

Exactly berrinice…in all their fruitless attempts to ‘game’ Gilead’s price down

Did no one in the PBAC stop to realise that no other first-world country has been successful in breaking them down on price to achieve universal access? Obviously not – they seem inexplicably blinkered on this completely obvious fact.

So we are condemned to another familiar round of “Just wait, it will be next Feb, for sure this time!”

While those in a bad way get sicker. And expect a company which makes billions in profit to make a special, one-off case for Australia…its barely conceivable that they can be so blind to the truth.

Thanks lizziechan. I think you’re right, probably best to approach them when you already have the meds in hand…will get my GPs opinion, see what she advises.

Glad that things are going well for you at St Vincents

Sure Paul, will do. I should have my first GP consult sometime tomorrow, I’ve only let her know about treatment in a brief phone message. Both of us have got a bit of time to get up to speed though…a lot to take in

Good idea CJ. Yes I’m not anticipating any problems either, but it would be good to have access to a bit of backup, even if you don’t end up needing it. It must very hard having a sick child, I wish you and your son all the best for a successful treatment…I’m sure he will do fine.

There is no doubt that every politician as well as every relevant agency or bureaucratic body would actually love to help everyone with this disease. There is also no doubt that treating everyone in need at Gilead’s prices would put serious pressure on the health care budget.

But there is one thing that can be done NOW …. IMMEDIATELY!

It will cost the government next to nothing, and has to potential to save the taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars. It will require no negotiation with Gilead or other patent holders, and require no new legislation. And it will have the added bonus of putting pressure on Gilead and the others to come to the table with a better offer.

The resistance of doctors to the idea of prescribing generics and the reluctance of clinics to overseeing the treatment should be addressed clearly and unequivocally.

The government and all relevant agencies should draft an Official Policy Statement, publish it, send copies of it to all relevant health care providers and their clinics, and get the word out through the media with all necessary repetition to be sure people get the message.

The Official Policy Statement should make these three points, clearly and unequivocally:

1) All doctors and clinics are free to prescribe generics to their patients and to oversee the treatment with generics with no fear of reprisal, censure or other negative repercussions.

2) All patients are free to source and import up to 90 days of generic medications for their own use with no fear of reprisal, censure, or other negative repercussions.

3) Individuals, doctors, clinics, pharmacies, philanthropic entities, etc. are free to assist patients in the sourcing, importing, testing, compounding and shipment of these generics, provided they are doing so with no financial gain in the purchasing transaction, and can do so with no fear of reprisal, censure or other negative repercussions.[/quote]

Could not have put it better, klhilde…this is the absolute crux of the matter.

That no Western govt has yet or can afford to subsidise the new antivirals for all those infected, no matter what “recommendations” the PBAC suggest, or how insistent the various arms of the Hep C ‘industry’ are that we will have across-the-board, unfettered public access to the proprietary medications – it is never going to happen.

So what is the only logical and valid recourse left to Government? Considering this medical miracle of a virus cure with such a success rate, and so few side-effects needs to be available to the largest number, at the earliest opportunity…that to withold this is only adding to the burden of suffering for all affected.

The Govt needs to bite the bullet and take action….,to not be dictated to by the financial managers of pharmaceutical companies, to the detriment of its own citizens – and make the announcements and necessary legislative amendments for the import and use of generics now.

Its going to be politically unpalatable to say the least! But shouldn’t the Government be on the side of its constituency?

Particularly when there is unequivocally NO other solution, other than a heavily-triaged system which will not include even a fraction of those infected with the disease, as happens now in comparable countries like the UK and Canada.

If the Govt wishes to uphold their stated goal of universal treatment for all, there is no other way except through the generics.

Interesting question re weight and dosage, thanks for the feedback everybody. I’m 53kg and 5’7″ so in that lightweight category: talking with Dr Freeman yesterday he suggested a possible slight drop in dosage for daclatasvir at least until a bit of tolerance had been reached might be needed – of course eveyone’s individual mileage may vary when it comes to personal side effect response. Will have to judge it when the time comes