Background: Treatment with direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has provided sustained virological response rates in>95% of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However treatment is costly and market access, reimbursement and governmental restrictions differ among countries. We aimed to analyze these differences among European and Eurasian countries. Methods: A survey including 20-item questionnaire was sent to experts in viral hepatitis. Countries were evaluated according to their income categories by the World Bank stratification. Results: Experts from 26 countries responded to the survey. As of May 2016, HCV prevalence was reported as low (≤1%) in Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; intermediate (1–4%) in Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Kosovo, Greece, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Serbia and high in Georgia (6.7%). All countries had national guidelines except Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Tunisia, and UK. Transient elastography was available in all countries, but reimbursed in 61%. HCV-RNA was reimbursed in 81%. PegIFN/RBV was reimbursed in 54% of the countries. No DAAs were available in four countries: Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Serbia, and Tunisia. In others, at least one DAA combination with either PegIFN/RBV or another DAA was available. In Germany and the Netherlands all DAAs were reimbursed without restrictions: Sofosbuvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir were free of charge in Georgia. Conclusion: Prevalence of HCV is relatively higher in lower-middle and upper-middle income countries. DAAs are not available or reimbursed in many Eurasia and European countries. Effective screening and access to care are essential for reducing liver-related morbidity and mortality.

Availability of hepatitis C diagnostics and therapeutics in European and Eurasia countries / Hakan, Leblebicioglu; Arends, Joop E.; Resat, Ozaras; Giampaolo, Corti; Lurdes, Santos; Christoph, Boesecke; Andrew, Ustianowski; Ann-Sofi, Duberg; Simona, Ruta; Salkic, Nermin N.; Petr, Husa; Ivana, Lazarevic; Pineda, Juan A.; Natalia Yurievna Pshenichnaya, ; Tengiz, Tsertswadze; Mojca, Matičič; Edmond, Puca; Gulzhan, Abuova; Judit, Gervain; Ramin, Bayramli; Salih, Ahmeti; Mairi, Koulentaki; Badreddine, Kilani; Adriana, Vince; Francesco, Negro; Mustafa, Sunbul; Dominique, Salmon. - In: ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH. - ISSN 0166-3542. - ELETTRONICO. - 150:(2017), pp. 9-14. [10.1016/j.antiviral.2017.12.001]

Availability of hepatitis C diagnostics and therapeutics in European and Eurasia countries

Giampaolo Corti
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2017

Abstract

Background: Treatment with direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has provided sustained virological response rates in>95% of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However treatment is costly and market access, reimbursement and governmental restrictions differ among countries. We aimed to analyze these differences among European and Eurasian countries. Methods: A survey including 20-item questionnaire was sent to experts in viral hepatitis. Countries were evaluated according to their income categories by the World Bank stratification. Results: Experts from 26 countries responded to the survey. As of May 2016, HCV prevalence was reported as low (≤1%) in Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; intermediate (1–4%) in Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Kosovo, Greece, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Serbia and high in Georgia (6.7%). All countries had national guidelines except Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Tunisia, and UK. Transient elastography was available in all countries, but reimbursed in 61%. HCV-RNA was reimbursed in 81%. PegIFN/RBV was reimbursed in 54% of the countries. No DAAs were available in four countries: Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Serbia, and Tunisia. In others, at least one DAA combination with either PegIFN/RBV or another DAA was available. In Germany and the Netherlands all DAAs were reimbursed without restrictions: Sofosbuvir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir were free of charge in Georgia. Conclusion: Prevalence of HCV is relatively higher in lower-middle and upper-middle income countries. DAAs are not available or reimbursed in many Eurasia and European countries. Effective screening and access to care are essential for reducing liver-related morbidity and mortality.
2017
150
9
14
Hakan, Leblebicioglu; Arends, Joop E.; Resat, Ozaras; Giampaolo, Corti; Lurdes, Santos; Christoph, Boesecke; Andrew, Ustianowski; Ann-Sofi, Duberg; Simona, Ruta; Salkic, Nermin N.; Petr, Husa; Ivana, Lazarevic; Pineda, Juan A.; Natalia Yurievna Pshenichnaya, ; Tengiz, Tsertswadze; Mojca, Matičič; Edmond, Puca; Gulzhan, Abuova; Judit, Gervain; Ramin, Bayramli; Salih, Ahmeti; Mairi, Koulentaki; Badreddine, Kilani; Adriana, Vince; Francesco, Negro; Mustafa, Sunbul; Dominique, Salmon
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1105496
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