21 August 2015 - The Federal Government needs to list new hepatitis C medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) without further delay, according to the peak body representing the interests of a quarter of a million Australians living with the liver-destroying virus.

Responding to the latest round of Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommendations, Hepatitis Australia CEO Helen Tyrrell said a total of four* groundbreaking curative hepatitis C therapies have now received the green light for inclusion on the PBS but so far no listing date has been confirmed.

“It is a completely unacceptable situation. Recommendations alone will not cure anyone. It’s time to act on the advice of the experts and add these medicines to the PBS,” Ms Tyrrell said.

New anti-viral therapies have exceptionally high cure rates that exceed 90 per cent, shorter treatment durations and avoid the debilitating side-effects associated with existing therapies.

For more details, go to: http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/newsarticles/recommendations-alone-will-not-avert-a-liver-disease-epidemic/21/8/2015