Local free clinic treats low-income patients with costly medications hepatitis C virus infection. Furthermore, hepatitis C is a leading Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics cause of liver cancer in the United States and the No. 1 cause of liver transplants. (VIMO) free clinic marks its second year Chronic hepatitis C is the second most of participation in the University of Washcommonly reported notifiable disease in ington ECHO program for treatment of Clallam County, with 93 cases being people with chronic hepatitis C. In the 24 months that VIMO has partic- reported in 2015. Current medications to treat hepatitis ipated in the program, the clinic has treated 20 patients for this serious health C are effective with minimal side effects; most patients can be cured, if treated, condition using expensive life-saving with these drugs. drugs. But the treatment, which lasts from Hepatitis C is an infectious disease eight to 12 weeks (depending on the specaused by a virus that attacks the liver. cific medication and patient medical conMost people infected with the virus dition), uses some of the most costly pharremain infected for life (called chronic maceuticals available. infection) unless treated. In the United States, the cost of directChronic hepatitis C infection can lead to acting chronic hepatitis C medications scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), liver canranges from $54,600 to $150,000 for a full cer and death. course of treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 3.5 million people in the United States have chronic HEPATITIS C continued on 5 >> BY JEANETTE STEHR-GREEN
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