The cost of new hepatitis C treatments continues to restrict access in Europe. This month the Irish government announced that it will fund new direct-acting antiviral treatment only for patients at imminent risk of liver failure, subject to a satisfactory agreement on pricing.
The French government has announced that it plans to tax any pharmaceutical company’s revenue from hepatitis C drugs if it exceeds 450 million euros in 2014 and 700 million euros in 2015. The tax is intended to contain the costs to the French healthcare system of new direct-acting antivirals. French newspapers have estimated that hepatitis C treatment in France could cost 1 billion euros in 2014 if everyone who is eligible receives treatment.
In Scotland, Janssen has proposed that NHS Scotland should pay for simeprevir (Olysio) only if a patient is cured of hepatitis C.
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