The Wire

New hepatitis C treatments could eradicate the virus – if – the government chooses to fund them. With 230,000 people living with hepatitis C in Australia, the number of those looking for care and treatment is on a rapid rise. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended three new treatments for Hep C under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. These new drugs could be a huge step forward in curing the virus, but at a cost of nearly 80 thousand dollars, they’re out of reach for most people. This has raised concerns that people will search for cheaper and more dangerous alternatives offshore.