Outdated Hep C Information on the MedHelp Site

Question

Isn't the Hepatitis C information a little outdated?  For example, my study doc IS using the word "cured" and he doesn't use it lightly. He feel it applies due to the newest class of drugs such as GS7977.  Anyone have a perspective on it?

Dawn703 · Accepted Answer

I like the word cured and it has become increasingly accepted.

HectorSF · Answer

'what is this GS-7977 is it medication or injection that some dr's use?'
It is a nucleotide NS5B inhibitor antiviral that is currently in phase 3 clinical trials developed by Gilead Sciences here in the Bay Area, the leader in HIV/AIDS drugs. It is a white pill1/4" wide and 9/16ths long. It is taken once daily (2x 200mg). It is at all oral treatment without the need for peg-interferon. Its side effect profile is minimal compared to interferon based treatments.

Some of its amazing properties are -
* It is the only drug ever developed that all patients using it become undetectable by week 4 at the latest. 100% RVR. This includes previous null-responders to interferon based treatments.
* It has a high barrier to resistance. No nonresistant variants have been found.
* No virologic breakthrough has been observed during treatment.

Hector

flcyclist · Answer

"IMO a simple course in microbiology will tell you that indeed no virus can be cured."

If not a "cure", then what?? Arrested development?  

I agree that the term cure should be used with caution to not give false hope, but with the effectiveness and durability of Inf/Riba and now the new PI's, the cure rate has improved dramatically.  It's difficult to debate > 99.6% durability once SVR.  As mentioned above, many physicians have been using this term for all the right reasons.  And several have gotten it in writing.  Just my opinion.

ponyshel · Answer

Food for thought ask if your gastro will please put it in writing" cured " after all what else have we been waiting for?? Imagine how infamous the person who found the " cure" would be?  
IMO a simple course in microbiology will tell you that indeed no virus can be cured.

rivll · Answer

Maybe it is a cure for many-85%  or 50%  for example. I don't think there are any absolute cures

bbj2856 · Answer

hi I guess I am dumb  but what is this GS-7977 is it medication or injection that some dr's use.
Thanks for inf . God bless u all

Dannyboi7 · Answer

I think it's a matter of semantics,for instance if you say there is a cure this implies everyone gets cured.On current treatments available not everyone gets cured,What would be the proper phrasing then?

8nickers8 · Answer

Thank you for this explanation.

rog1958 · Answer

D,  No triple victrelis (sp?) only Invicek.  I believe it is the success numbers they are comparing. Incivek has more possible physical sx but vict has more mental.  Tx duration can be better for Incivek, Incivek works faster.  I don't question him to hard, he successfully treated me once 10 years ago, he is so far successfully treating me this time.  I did not relapse, I reinfected.

desrt · Answer

You're correct that the info on that page is inaccurate, but since it appears to be provided by MedHelp rather than user provided content like this forum, you should probably contact the Owners/Moderators through the link provided at the bottom of the page.
As for the effectiveness and durability of 7977 SVR, hopefully it will prove to be as effective and durable as IFN based therapies. A recent study has shown that after aprox. 8 years of sustained response and UND viral load tests, patients cured with IFN based tx no longer show the traces of occult virus that 85-90% of patients continue to show in various areas of their bodies even after SVR. If 7977 is approved, here's hoping it can claim the same.

jerialice · Answer

thanks you too! and here's to that cure for real for ever....

8nickers8 · Answer

For anyone still up this Saturday night, I'm glad you are here.  When I first found out in 2001 I suffered alone in silence.  In fact, I was afraid to tell my Father and so my brother asked me if I wanted him to tell my Father and he did.  And do you know what my Father said?  According to my brother, my Father said, "She deserves it."  I assume that is because I contracted it messing around with drugs as a kid.  That was back in the 60's.  Glad you are here. Sweet Dreams.

8nickers8 · Answer

How come the no triple?

8nickers8 · Answer

Here's the outdated information right up here on this website:

http://www.medhelp.org/medical-information/show/69/Hepatitis-C?page=5#sec_25679

8nickers8 · Answer

Hi Hector, I'm on the clinical trial with the 7977.  The outdated stuff I referred to is right on this website if you look up the information they provide on Hep C.  They make the statement that there is no cure for Hep C. Rubbish.

rog1958 · Answer

My Gi uses "cure" for 18 months svr.  Always erring on the side of caution.  They also do not prescribe triple with victrelis. Go figure.

dontworry_behappy1 · Answer

My GI uses to word "cure".

rivll · Answer

Yes as the above posters said the word cure is used and used carefully.. However being cured doesn't mean that the meds that cured me will be a cure for someone else.

Dannyboi7 · Answer

My GI uses to word "cure" and not lightly either,he also declares the patient SVR "cured" if he or she is UND at week 12 post treatment.I'm assuming unless the patient  has cirrhosis.

Advocate1955 · Answer

If you're referring to information in threads, some threads could be several years old.  I believe a "cure" refers to "SVR" (Sustained Viral Response), which I believe is generally thought to mean UND (Undetected) 6 months after EOT "End of Treatment).  
Advocate1955

HectorSF · Answer

What information do you mean is outdated?

'Cured' has been in use for many years in the field of treatment of hepatitis C. It is not anything new.

GS-7977 is not available on the market for the majority of people with hepatitis C to treat with and people are being cure on a daily basis now and in the past. There is no difference between the cure with GS-7977 and any of the other treatment drugs for hepatitis C. Folks with chronic hepatitis C have been cured for over a decade now using peg-interferon, peg-interferon and ribavirin, Incivek, peg-interferon and ribavirin and Victrelis, peg-interferon and ribavirin. Others have been cured with other drugs being used in clinical trials as well.

Hector