The cost of Harvoni in the USA

Hep C treatment in the USA is big money for Big Pharma

Hepatitis C Treatment in the USA

One of the reoccurring stories I hear about Hepatitis C treatment in the USA (apart from the high cost) is how some doctors totally refuse to work with patients who choose to treat their Hepatitis C with generic Harvoni. In all these cases their patients have no other option but generic treatment because they either have no health insurance or they have been refused treatment by their insurance company. The treatment options for people in the USA who have Hepatitis C are very limited and become more limited when the patient’s doctor withdraws their support simply because the patient wants to be cured and takes positive steps to reach that goal.
For example, this sorry Hepatitis C story was posted in my Facebook group earlier this week, a lady in her mid 50’s (let’s call her Anne) with health insurance but was refused treatment because her liver fibrosis was not bad enough. For people in the USA with Hep C this story is common.

So this happened today: I made an appointment to see my doctor, Dr. P… Then his medical assistant, Jonny, called me back and said they found out I was taking generic Harvoni and so they were canceling my appointment for January 4th 2018.
Because I am taking the Generic Harvoni from India and didn’t see the doctor prior to starting to take this generic Harvoni he will not follow my treatment or order labs.
It seems that there is nothing worse than someone taking responsibility for their health. The insurance companies wouldn’t approve my treatment because my liver is still too good, only F1. They want to wait until I have cirrhosis, or maybe they hope I will die before I qualify for insurance?

On the same day that I read the story above I received an email from another person from the USA who had chosen to cure his Hep C using Indian generic Harvoni and whose GP was supportive of him doing treating with generic Harvoni but whose specialist doctor was openly hostile to his choice of Hepatitis C treatment. This is a very positive story about Hepatitis C treatment and cure in the USA.

Hi Greg,

I know that this update on my Hep C treatment situation is a bit delayed, but I thought you might enjoy my follow up info.

I took your advice and went back to my General Practice doc to give him the “news” that I was treating with generic Harvoni and that I had the first results of my labs. I did not, and I am not, going back to the specialist he sent me too. He was far too indifferent and arrogant with me to merit sharing the good news with him.

I took copies of the labs I had done on my own through the “walk in lab”. Both the one I did at four weeks into treatment, and the one I did at 4 weeks after the completion of the treatment of 12 weeks with generic Harvoni, both showing the virus was undetected. I told my doctor the whole story regarding the $100,000 prescription, waiting to go on Medicare…reducing the cost to 30k….and then my subsequent purchase of meds from India for $1,000…I told him the whole story…the whole saga.

He listened intently and clearly had not ever heard of a story like this before. He read my tests. He was “all ears” and completely intrigued. He reacted just like a doctor should who is concerned with my heath more than his insurance rules. He didn’t say a word, just listened with intent.

He said…”Let’s do some more tests, so I can have this confirmed or verified by our own lab”. I said, “Okay let’s do it!” I was, again, a bit nervous as we all are when labs get done, waiting for the results hoping the previous test results were okay.

So my doctor’s labs came in and all enzyme, ferritin, albumin, were WELL in the normal range, and the HCV Quantitative was “NOT DETECTED”… This is still on the miracle side of the equation for me… to get into my mind that I am completely cured of Hepatitis C after having had this virus taking up full residence in my body for almost 20 years!
Actually sometimes I still can’t believe it and it does qualify as a miracle…The way I heard about your service was that my daughter overheard a guy at the gym talking about Hepatitis C treatment using Indian generics. She just walked right up and talked to him. Then she told me about this guy who was happy to meet up with me personally. He told me your story and then I researched my butt off, contacted you, you know the rest of the story…
WOW!!!! is all I can say, in addition to thank you!

So, my general doctor sent me an email that said, “Great news, all levels are normal and you are virus clear”. He also acknowledged how truly sad this situation is in the USA for people with Hepatitis C (and other diseases).
“Big Pharma makes it impossible for people to have affordable access to these meds and governments around the world make it even more difficult….” those were his exact words.
He was sensitive, compassionate, and most importantly to me….he was excited that I am free of Hepatitis C and recovering well.
The last thing he said was, “Do you mind if I ask you how much this cost you?” I told him, and he shook his head and said, “That is awesome and so unfair to so many”,
This virus could be eradicated worldwide if the treatment was not so totally profit driven. He referenced how the Polio epidemic is gone because the inventor of the vaccine elected not to sell to Big Pharma, and instead made it affordable and available to the world.

That is my update!!

Thanks Again, you are inspiring to so many and certainly I am grateful for you and what you have done!!!

So there are several issues surrounding Hepatitis C treatment in the USA. One is the cost of the medication, another is the fact that USA health insurance companies often refuse to pay for treatment until the patient has a high level of liver fibrosis and lastly that many doctors in the USA refuse to monitor patients who choose to treat their Hep C with generic Harvoni. And yet despite these factors tens of thousands of people in the USA have successfully cured their Hepatitis C by using generic Harvoni imported from India.

Please email me if you would like more information about how you can clear your Hep C with Indian generic Harvoni

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