Harvoni treatment approved for hepatitis C children in America and worldwide.
Clinical studies show the cure rate to be comparable to adults with 94% to 99% for children.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ledipasvir 90mg sofosbuvir 400mg or Harvoni.
A prescription medicine that is taken once a day for 8 weeks or 12 weeks treatment recommended by your child’s pediatrician.
Children with genotypes 1, 4, 5, or 6 can be treated with Harvoni.
The child must weight a minimum of 77 pounds or 35Kg.
Generic Harvoni or Harvoni can treat children with cirrhosis or with mild cirrhosis.
Side effects of Harvoni treatment for hepatitis C children are few if any, slight discomfort and fatigue.
Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) helped millions around the world get cured from hepatitis C.
Gilead Sciences first released the hepatitis C treatment back in 2013.
The key ingredient that Gilead Sciences developed is Sofosbuvir.
Although the price of Sofosbuvir is not expensive, however, it has cost tax payers and the US government in billions of dollars to treat hepatitis C patients.
A few states have actually went bankrupt due to treating hep C patients on Medicare and Medicaid.
Cost of Harvoni for Children
By law a state must provide access to treatment if the treatment is available, regardless of cost.
The cost for this blockbuster drug, Harvoni is $84,000. One tablet cost $1000.
Generic Harvoni – ledipasvir 90 mg and sofosbuvir 400 mg is distributed by Asegua Therapeutics for $24,000.
About $925 a tablet for ledipasvir sofosbuvir, pricey for sure.
The other alternative is the cost of Epclusa is about $777 about the same price of Harvoni.
The big difference here is Epclusa cures all genotypes of hepatitis C.
Overall this is still great news for parents of children with hepatitis C.
It is always better to be cured of hepatitis C rather than accidentally transmitting it to other children.
Social Stigma for Children with Hepatitis C
The sad part is many children can develop a stigma associated with having hepatitis C.
Children do not mean any harm when they tease or bully someone with hep C, but it happens.
The consequences for the child with hep C can be emotionally traumatic that can last for years and sometimes even well in to adulthood.
So, if your child has hepatitis C do whatever it takes to get the cure from your local health care provider for free of cost.
If they do not provide treatment free of cost please contact us and we will provide a solution for your child.
You can also contact the following organizations for FREE or very affordable Harvoni treatment below:
- Patient Advocate Foundation’s Hepatitis C CareLine: 800-532-5274 or www.hepatitisc.pafcareline.org
- Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA): 888-477-2669 or www.pparx.org
- Help-4-Hep: 877-HELP4HEP (877-435-7443) or www.help4hep.org
- Merck (for Zepatier treatment) : 866-251-6013 or www.merckaccessprogram-zepatier.com/hcc
- Abbvie Inc. (for Mavyret treatment) : 877-628-9738 www.abbvie.com/patients/patient-assistance.html
- Soul of Healing Trust (hepatitis C treatment from UK, Europe & India): 858-952-1077 https://soulofhealing.org