Press Release
New treatment funding good news for New Zealanders with hepatitis C
Auckland, 3 February 2004 – Hepatitis Foundation Chief Executive John Hornell has welcomed the announcement of funding
for a new treatment for hepatitis C. Pegasys® (peginterferon alfa-2a) will be available for people with chronic genotype
1 hepatitis C from 1 March 2004.
“The availability of Pegasys is good news for people with chronic hepatitis C. Having the most effective therapy
available means a cure has become a realistic goal for more people,” said Mr Hornell.
“Living with hepatitis C can be like having a time-bomb in your liver. You may remain relatively free of symptoms for
years but most people experience some diminished quality of life,” said Mr Hornell. Common symptoms include fatigue,
feeling unwell and alcohol intolerance. Eventually the virus can lead to liver inflammation, liver scarring, liver
cancer or liver failure resulting in premature death.
“Hepatitis C is a serious public health issue that continues to grow at epidemic proportions quietly in the shadows. The
availability of Pegasys should significantly help curb the long-term effects of the disease, but widespread preventive
education to raise community awareness is urgently needed to stop the increase of new hepatitis C infections,” said Mr
Hornell.
People wanting additional information on hepatitis C are advised by Mr Hornell to contact the Hepatitis Foundation or
Hepatitis C Resource Centre. “It is important that people with chronic hepatitis C access the health system and are
given the opportunity to commence a treatment, which has an effective cure rate. People with chronic hepatitis C can be
referred by their GP or the Hepatitis Foundation to a specialist to discuss treatment options and to determine whether
this new treatment is right for them.”
ENDS