Posted by Michael Wonder on 31 Jan 2019
Relief as government funded hep C drugs become available
1 February 2019 - The "modern lepers" of the health system have come in from exile, hepatitis C campaigner Hazel Heal says, after new drugs to treat the disease became available today.
The drug Maviret is now funded by government drug-buying agency PHARMAC, ending a period where patients either had to wait for treatment or find more than $2000 to afford "buyers' club" generic drugs.
"People have been waiting for this for such a long time - I know tears were shed at the time of the announcement in December and there will be tears shed today," Ms Heal said.
