Media sources report on the WHO’s first-ever hepatitis C treatment guidelines and increased efforts to lower the cost of the most effective treatments.

Financial Times: Price of hepatitis C drug attacked
“Gilead Sciences is facing mounting pressure over its new $1,000-a-day hepatitis C drug after the World Health Organization joined U.S. politicians and health care companies in voicing concerns over the price…” (Ward, 4/9).

The Guardian: WHO calls for access to drugs for hepatitis C
“Hepatitis C suddenly has a high profile after lurking in the shadows for so many years. This is thanks to Big Pharma, which has developed excellent new drugs that appear able to cure most people. It can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis and the prognosis for many in the poorer countries is death. Once a disease that caused doctors in poor countries to wring their hands, it is now a campaigning issue. The question now is who will get these drugs and how soon?…” (Boseley, 4/9).

U.N. News Centre: U.N. health agency issues first hepatitis C treatment guidelines
“The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first guidelines for the treatment of hepatitis C, a chronic infection that affects an estimated 130 million to 150 million people, in a bid to help improve access to more effective and safer medicines to those who need them…” (4/9).

VOA News: WHO Issues Guidelines for Hepatitis C Treatment
“The World Health Organization is issuing its first-ever global guidelines on treating hepatitis C, a liver disease that kills between 350,000 and 500,000 people every year. WHO said the guidelines will reduce deaths from hepatitis C by helping countries improve treatment and care…” (Schlein, 4/9).

WHO: WHO issues its first hepatitis C treatment guidelines
“…The new guidelines make nine key recommendations. These include approaches to increase the number of people screened for hepatitis C infection, advice as to how to mitigate liver damage for those who are infected and how to select and provide appropriate treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection…” (4/9).