Drugs against one type of hepatitis may activate another, sometimes with fatal consequences, Europe’s medicines watchdog warned on Friday. The medicines, which are highly effective against hepatitis C, may trigger latent hepatitis B in patients infected with both types, the European Medicines Agency said in a statement.There have been only about 30 cases of hepatitis B reactivation out of thousands of patients taking the drugs, the agency said. And there was not enough information to draw a conclusion on cancer risk. But a special risk assessment committee of the agency recommended that all patients be screened for hepatitis B virus before starting any of these treatments.
It also proposed that a warning be included in the drug information leaflet. The drugs, a new class known as “direct-acting antivirals” are more effective than their predecessors. At a cost of some €40,000 to €80,000 ($43,000-$86,000) for a 12-week course, they are the preserve of a lucky few.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most often caused by a virus but sometimes by drug or alcohol abuse, other infections, or autoimmune diseases. The B and C types usually occur from contact with body fluids of an infected person. Other than for hepatitis B, there is no vaccine against hepatitis C.
Source: Swankpharm