Decision on hepatitis C drug expected

Joint Federal Committee advises today on decision on hepatitis C funds

07/17/2014

The Federal Joint Committee of Physicians, Health Insurance Funds and Hospitals will discuss a new drug for hepatitis C at its meeting today. Sofosbuvir is said to release patients from the dangerous virus much more often than other drugs. Nevertheless, the outcome of the evaluation process of the Joint Federal Committee is uncertain. The new hepatitis C remedy is much more expensive than previously used drugs.

New hepatitis C drug is more effective, but also more expensive
Today, the Federal Joint Committee of health insurance, doctors and clinics advises from 11 clock in Berlin on a new hepatitis C drug. According to the German medical profession, the drug sofosbuvir is said to release patients from the dangerous hepatitis C virus much more frequently than patients who have already received long-standing therapies.

The Joint Federal Committee must now be the highest decision-making body in the health sector on the basis of a dossier submitted by the pharmaceutical company and a rating from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on the additional benefit of the new hepatitis C drug. Despite its high effectiveness, it is not certain that the active substance receives a correspondingly positive rating. The remedy is much more expensive than previously available drugs for hepatitis C. According to industry experts, "in this case, the difficulties of the official evaluation process."

In addition to the new hepatitis C drug, the Federal Joint Committee also advises on the active ingredient macitentan for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. (Ag)

Picture: Andrea Damm