CAP Hepatitis C Program
Week Ending 12/18/11

Weekly Hepatitis C News Update

Congress to Restore Federal Syringe Exchange Funding Ban as Part of 2012 Spending Package
“As part of the 2012 spending package being voted on today, Congress is restoring a ban on using federal funding for syringe exchange programs that reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases. The ban, enacted in the 1980s and repealed in 2009, was largely responsible for hundreds of thousands of Americans contracting HIV/AIDS directly or indirectly from the sharing of used syringes. Advocates warn that restoring the ban will result in thousands of Americans contracting HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C or other infectious diseases next year alone.”

http://stopthedrugwar.org/trenches/2011/dec/17/congress_restore_federal_syringe

Merck Sharpe and Dohme and Roche commence HCV studies
“Merck Sharpe and Dohme has begun a new clinical partnership with Roche on the development of new therapy options for hepatitis C virus (HCV).”

http://www.zenopa.com/news/801242794/Merck_Sharpe_and_Dohme_and_Roche_commence_HCV_studies

100 screened for deadly Hepatitis C
“It has screened 624 Stoke-on-Trent men and women between the ages of 18 and 64 since July last year. Of those people, 100 have been treated for Hepatitis C and 43 have been completely cured and discharged.”

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/100-screened-deadly-Hepatitis-C/story-14156523-detail/story.html

Pharmasset, Inc. (VRUS) to Change Design of Hepatitis C Treatment Study, Says Trial Change Won’t Affect Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) Takeover
“Pharmasset, Inc. announced today that the company will amend the design of the QUANTUM Phase 2b trial of the guanine nucleotide analog PSI-938 and discontinue all treatment arms with a regimen containing PSI-938.”

http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?StoryID=244014&full=1

Pendleton needle program aims to prevent disease
PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — “The 20-something woman approached the van looking jittery and conflicted. Seeing that the back of the delivery-style truck was open, she meandered there. The boxy truck, with
Umatilla-Morrow Alternatives Health Van written on the side, was parked at Pendleton’s Stillman Park.”

http://www.necn.com/12/17/11/Pendleton-needle-program-aims-to-prevent/landing_health.html?&apID=8a4e1965882047cfbbbb957d4c0cdb73

U.S. Will Not Finance New Research on Chimps
“The National Institutes of Health on Thursday suspended all new grants for biomedical and behavioral research on chimpanzees and accepted the first uniform criteria for assessing the necessity of such research. Those guidelines require that the research be necessary for human health, and that there be no other way to accomplish it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/16/science/chimps-in-medical-research.html?_r=1

Study: Hep C Doesn’t Impair Women’s Cognitive Faculties
“Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) doesn’t damage women’s cognitive function—mental tasks such as attention, memory and the abilities to solve problems and make decisions—according to Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) data published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
and reported by aidsmap. The researchers confirmed, however, that HIV infection alone is independently associated with cognitive impairment.”

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/HIVhepC_Womens_Cognition_1667_21615.shtml

Boehringer Ingelheim Completes Patient Entry For Phase III Trial Program In Hepatitis C
“According to Boehringer Ingelheim’s announcement, the company’s large-scale Phase III clinical trial program for BI210335, an investigational, oral protease inhibitor for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has randomized the final patient for treatment.”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/239040.php

Lorren Sandt
Executive Director
Caring Ambassadors Program
P.O. Box 1748
Oregon City, OR 97045
503-632-9032
503-632-9038 – FAX

Choice, health, and wellness for people with long-term disease.

HepCChallenge.org ~ LungCancerCAP.org ~ CaringAmbassadors.org

Missouri Hepatitis C Alliance Hosts Poker Tournament

Posted: Dec 15, 2011 7:36 PM by Alle Pawelski
Updated: Dec 15, 2011 7:57 PM
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COLUMBIA- A new spin on poker put an emphasis on charity Thursday night when the Missouri Hepatitis C Alliance hosted a Texas Hold ‘em benefit tournament.

Every Thursday at Pem’s Place, poker players come out for a night of fun and games as they help raise money and awareness for Hepatitis C. The Missouri Hepatitis C Alliance hopes that the weekly tournament will create constant awareness and work toward the prevention of Hepatitis C.

“It’s an unknown epidemic,” said Bruce Burkett who is the executive director for the Missouri Hepatitis C Alliance.

Hepatitis C is one of the most common blood borne disease in the United States and one of the leading causes of liver cancer.

CAP Hepatitis C Program
Week Ending 11/27/11

Weekly Hepatitis C News Update

About 10 million people infected with Hepatitis- C in Pakistan
KARACHI: Viral hepatitis is affecting about 400 million people, out of which one third cases are due to Hepatitis-C Virus (HCV) alone.
“In Pakistan about 10 million people, which is about 6 per cent of the total population, is affected with hepatitis- C.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/11/28/about-10-million-people-infected-with-hepatitis-c-in-pakistan.html

Bread of Healing Clinic connects patients with needed drugs, care
Lenora Johnson thought she had broken the string of rejections and finally landed health insurance until she read the fine print.
“”They said they would accept me, but they would not treat my pre-existing condition,” said Johnson, whose reason for wanting coverage in the first place was to address her worsening hepatitis C, a viral disease that causes severe swelling and slowly destroys the liver.”

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/bread-of-healing-clinic-connects-patients-with-needed-drugs-care-s5332mm-134543933.html

University launches iphone app for hepatitis treatment
“Hepatitis C was first discovered in the 1980s when it became apparent that there was a new virus causing liver damage. Hepatitis C causes inflammation and swelling of the liver. It is estimated that over 170million individuals – representing 3% of the world’s population – are chronically infected with the Hepatitis C virus. Statistically, as many people are infected with HCV as are with HIV.

http://finchannel.com/Main_News/B_Schools/98727_University_launches_iphone_app_for_hepatitis_treatment/

Disposal of Hypodermic Needles Difficult In Falmouth
Massachusetts – “Falmouth residents who use injections to manage their health care at home have no environmentally friendly options in town to dispose of needles.

http://www.capenews.net/communities/falmouth/news/1475

Neglect, ignorance raise HCV infection in Vietnam
“The number of Hepatitis C patients in Vietnam is increasing, and around half a million people are estimated to develop cirrhosis and liver cancer this year, experts said at a recent seminar.”

http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/Pages/20111124-Ignorance-raises-HCV-infection-in-Vietnam.aspx

Province to bring in regulations for tattoo parlours
Regulations are in the works for Nova Scotia’s body art industry.
“Services such tattooing, piercing or scarification will fall under the Body Art Act, which Health Minister Maureen MacDonald introduced in the legislature Wednesday afternoon.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/36136-province-bring-regulations-tattoo-parlours

Hep C deaths outpace HIV; new drugs, services for coinfected
“Deaths related to hepatitis C have outpaced those due to HIV/AIDS since 2007, researchers reported at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases meeting earlier this month in San Francisco.

http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=6238

Hepatitis Screening Offered With Routine Colonoscopy Accepted by 75%
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. – “A screening colonoscopy can provide a convenient opportunity to simultaneously test older adults for hepatitis, based on a study of 500 patients, 75% of whom agreed to blood tests for hepatitis A, B, and C.

http://www.familypracticenews.com/news/more-top-news/single-view/hepatitis-screening-offered-with-routine-colonoscopy-accepted-by-75/5c31af8277.html

May I Be Frank: A Life-Changing Documentary
“Talk about life-changing documentaries, and there have been a lot in the past few years. This is one to add to the list for sure!”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandy-henson-corso/may-i-be-frank_b_1104637.html

Hepatitis C drug market in Mexico expected to double to $104 million in 2015
“The hepatitis C virus (HCV) market in Mexico will nearly double from $56 million in 2010 to $104 million in 2015. According to advisory firm Decision Resources’ new Emerging Markets report, hepatitis C Virus in Mexico, an increase in the size of the prevalent HCV population in Mexico and the launch of new HCV-specific protease inhibitors will contribute to market growth.

http://www.thepharmaletter.com/file/109007/hepatitis-c-drug-market-in-mexico-expected-to-double-to-104-million-in-2015.html

Bill that would allow over the counter sales of hypodermic needles advances in N.J. Assembly
“An Assembly panel has advanced a bill to allow the sale of small quantities of hypodermic needles over the counter in order to decrease the spread of bloodborne diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C.”

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/bill_that_would_allow_over_the.html

Lorren Sandt
Executive Director
Caring Ambassadors Program
P.O. Box 1748
Oregon City, OR 97045
503-632-9032
503-632-9038 – FAX

Choice, health, and wellness for people with long-term disease.

HepCChallenge.org ~ LungCancerCAP.org ~ CaringAmbassadors.org