In the Interferon Era
Life after treatment was very different before there were Direct Acting Anti-viral (DAA) drugs around. Interferon was the standard of care for years until around 2014 depending where you lived. Interferon and then in combination with ribavirin were difficult to tolerate and only had around 40% rates of cure or sustained virologic response (SVR)–the word cure only really showed up with the introduction of DAAs. from treatment was a stark change. Recovery from Interferon was long and challenging to say the least, for most people who were able to tolerate the 24-48-week regimen of injections and pills.
Hep C Treatment with Direct-Acting Anti-virals
Direct-acting anti-viral treatment was a game-changer for the hep C community. Many who had treated with interferon and not reached SVR/cure were some of the earliest people treated with DAAs, as well as those who had never treated and had been waiting for better cure rates and fewer side effects.
Direct-acting anti-virals were the cure people living with hep C were waiting for: with cure rates above 95%, taken as pills for 8 to 12 weeks and with generally more manageable side-effects, DAAs made hep C treatment simpler, less intrusive, and more effective for people living with hep C.
Life After Cure: Short- and long-term effects of hep C
Now that hep C is curable with treatments that are available to anyone who has been tested and are found to be living with chronic hep C, some will wonder what impact curing hep C will have on their life. Depending on a person’s experience living with hep C, the answer can be as unique as each of us are as individuals. Some experience few or no symptoms when living with hep C, while others can have a list of symptoms impacting many aspects of their life. The truth is that there is no absolute way to predict the progress of the damage caused by hep C or impact the hep C virus may have on a person’s health. It is also impossible to predict whether someone will have no symptoms at all, minor or non-specific symptoms, challenging symptoms that will resolve or subside. However, not all symptoms will readily be corrected by treatment and cure.
Liver damage can occur as a result of hep C, and generally there will be more damage over time, but some people live with hep C for decades and have very minor liver damage. We must also remember that the virus does not only affect our liver, in the case of extra-hepatic manifestations (conditions related to the hep C virus but occur outside the liver). Unfortunately, we are not aware of any data that indicates how many people may experience ongoing health issues related to having lived with hep C, other than damage to the liver.
Watch Hep C 101: Life After Cure
If You’re Thinking About Treatment
Most people who are tested and treated with DAAs will most likely not experience ongoing health issues. The key, like with so many health concerns, is earlier detection and effective treatment. This will lead to the best outcomes. There is a cure for hep C once you know you have it.
At the BC Hepatitis Network, we strongly support testing and linkage to care with no barriers or delay and believe that the evidence does support improved health, better quality of life, and not simply more years lived, but better-quality ones. That is the most ideal life after cure.