http://www.merckaccessprogram-zepatier.com/hcc/
Above is the link for Merck's Patient Assistance Program. Click on Find Financial Assistance. Merck has priced Zepatier much more reasonably that our other treatments and their assistance program looks generous. Zepatier should be in pharmacies within a week.
Many people have questions about whether they should treat with Zepatier if they have not responded or relapsed on Harvoni. Merck did not do any studies to see what happens when Harvoni failures take Zepatier. I spoke with Dr. Marcelo Kugelmas, a hepatologist from Denver, and he said that some people who relapsed will do very well on Zepatier. However, resistance testing for NS5a and NS3 needs to be done to be sure that the patient is not resistant to Zepatier.
Merck has promised to make Zepatier more accessible to hepatitis C patients and so far it looks like they did just that. More to come after their conference call on Tuesday.
