>> LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Two similar drug treatments for hepatitis C from Roche <ROG.VX> and Schering-Plough <SGP> have been recommended for use on Britain's state-run health service.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which evaluates the cost-effectiveness of drugs for use in England and Wales, said on Wednesday both Roche's Pegasys and Schering-Plough's ViraferonPeg [a.k.a. Peg-Intron] were suitable for people with mild chronic hepatitis C.
Both medicines are long-lasting forms of interferon that are given together with the antiviral drug ribavirin.
NICE said between 200,000 and 500,000 people were estimated to be infected with hepatitis C in England and Wales but only around 7,000 were being treated[see #msg-11370130]. Current practice is generally to treat only those patients with moderate or severe symptoms.
"We are recommending these drugs as the evidence suggests that treating patients with hepatitis C in its earlier stages when symptoms are milder can be effective at suppressing the virus and delaying disease progression," NICE Chief Executive Andrew Dillon said in a statement.
"Treatment in these patients is also cost effective -- for example, early treatment might prevent the need for a costly and complicated liver transplant at a later stage."[No kidding!]
NICE estimates that around 3,500 more patients will decide to receive the treatments, at a cost to the National Health Service of around 25 million pounds ($47.3 million) a year. <<
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
