• You can take medicine to cure hepatitis C. It works very well for most people.
• Most people can get a prescription from their GP.
• It is low cost for people who have a Medicare Card.

You can take medicine to cure your hepatitis C. The tablets are easy to take and work very well.  Most people don't have any side-effects.

The medicines are direct-acting antivirals (or DAAs). They work very well for most people who take them. You'll need to take one to three tablets for eight to 12 weeks. This will depend on which medicine your doctor gives you.

Your doctor will decide which medicine to give you and how long you need to take it for. This depends on whether you have taken hepatitis C medicine in the past. It will also depend on how well your liver is working.

Who can take this medicine?

If you have a Medicare card, you can get the medicines at low cost.

You should not take this medicine if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

You'll need to take your medicines every day for them to work best. If you find this hard to do, you can talk to your doctor. They can help you put a plan in place.

How can I get the medicine?

Your normal GP can prescribe you the new DAA medicines for hepatitis C. If your doctor doesn't see patients with hepatitis C often, they might get advice from a specialist doctor.

You might need to see a specialist doctor to get the medicine if you:

• have another virus, such as hepatitis B or HIV
• have taken this medicine before
• have end stage renal (kidney) disease
• have severe liver scarring (cirrhosis).

What are the side effects?

All medicines can have side effects. The new DAA medicines have far less side effects than older medicines. The side effects are also less common and often less serious. Talk to your doctor if you want to know more about the side effects.

Some of the side effects are:

• feeling tired
• headache
• trouble sleeping
• feeling sick in your stomach
• diarrhoea (runny poo)

What medicines can cure hepatitis C?

In Australia, we use these DAA medicines to cure hepatitis C:

• Epclusa® (sofosbuvir + velpatasvir)
• Maviret® (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir)
• Vosevi® (sofosbuvir + velpatasvir + voxilaprevir). We only use this one if other DAA medicine has not worked.

How much do the medicines cost?

If you have a Medicare card you can get the medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). You won't pay more than $42.50 for each script. If you have a concession card it will cost less than $7. These amounts change each year on 1 January. These amounts are correct for 2022.

You will still need to pay the fee to see your doctor unless they bulk bill.

What happens after I take the medicine?

If the medicine has worked, you no longer have the virus. Your doctor will order a test at least 12 weeks after you finish taking the medicine. This test will tell you if you still have the virus. It's a good idea to have this final test to make sure you are cured, and not just assume it.

If the test says that you still have hepatitis C, the doctor may ask you to visit a specialist centre. They might suggest you try taking another medicine.

Even if you no longer have hepatitis C, you will always have antibodies. This does not mean you still have the virus, or that you cannot get it again. This means that if you need to get tested for hepatitis C again, you will need to use the RNA test.

If you do get hepatitis C again, you will be able to take medicine again to get rid of the virus.

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MORE INFORMATION

If you want to know more about DAA medicines, call the National Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 437 222.

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References:       

1. General Statement for Drugs for the Treatment of Hepatitis C, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Department of Health and Aged Care

2. Management of Hepatitis B in pregnancy, RANZCOG

3. Clinical guidance for treating hepatitis C virus infection: a summary, GESA, Australian Hepatology Association, ASID, ASHM, Hepatitis Australia.

4. A practical overview of the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection, Khoo, A; Tse, E; Australian Family Physician

5. Testing for Hep c, ASHM

Page updated 20 February 2024