What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 602 patients with hepatitis c. The study was sponsored by Andrew Talal and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
90% cured with telemedicine vs. 39% with off-site referral.
JAMA · 2024 · NCT02933970
These findings — that cured of hepatitis C with on-site telemedicine vs. off-site specialist referral — were published in the JAMA and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 602 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with hepatitis c, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Direct-acting antiviral pills for hepatitis C are FDA-approved and available now. Many opioid treatment programs and harm-reduction clinics now offer hepatitis C treatment on-site or via telemedicine. Ask your addiction medicine doctor about access — Medicare and most state Medicaid programs cover treatment.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open hepatitis c trials
Proteogenomic Monitoring and Assessment of Liver Transplant Recipients
This study is being done to test blood, urine and tissue samples to see if this can help decide if CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease), AR (Acute Rejection) and HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) can be identified in its early stages. CKD damage to the kidneys, AR and HCV all lower the body's ability to function properly. Early detection of these conditions could assist with successful treatment and possibly lead to less repeat organ transplants.
Screening for Hepatitis c in People Who Inject Drugs in Armenia-Colombia
Hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The risk of developing cirrhosis for people with chronic infection with the virus ranges from 15% to 30% over 20 years. Despite undeniable advances in the treatment of hepatitis C infection and the WHO strategy to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030, this infection continues to be a major public health problem globally and many HCV-positive individuals are unaware of their HIV status. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk for HCV. Several studies have reported high HCV prevalence rates, especially among PWID. PWID are usually exposed to a higher risk of various infectious diseases, mainly due to their drug consumption behaviors and habits, in addition to the risks and harms associated with the respective routes of self-administration. Worldwide, there are around 11 million PWIDs and there are approximately 2.3 million coinfections between HIV and HCV worldwide, of which more than half (1.3 million) occur in PWID. The coexistence of these two health conditions leads to accelerate the progression of liver disease. The global prevalence of HCV in 2019 among PWID was 50.2%, which is equivalent to 5.6 million people who inject drugs and live with hepatitis C. PWID had been considered a difficult group to reach, manage, and treat because HCV treatment management in these individuals is challenging and they have a higher risk of reinfection and some past HCV treatment guidelines excluded PWIDs from consideration, citing concerns about adherence, increased susceptibility to side effects, and reinfection. However, there is now compelling evidence that HCV treatment is safe and effective among PWID. In Colombia, the prevalence of hepatitis C among PWID has been measured locally in some cities. In Bogotá, it went from 1.7% in 2002 to 6.7% in 2014. For 2021, the prevalence of hepatitis C was measured in Bogotá, Medellín, Santiago de Cali, the metropolitan area of Pereira, Dos Quebradas, Medellín, Cucuta, and Armenia. The results of prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C were as follows: Cali with 80.2%, is the city with the highest reactivity, followed by Pereira and Dos Quebradas with 71.4%, Armenia with 69.6%, and Cucuta with 62.8%. We do not have recent data about the impact of intervention to reduce HVC transmission in those groups.