Hepatitis C is curable. This statement — impossible to make just 15 years ago — is now scientific fact. Modern direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) cure over 95% of patients in just 8-12 weeks of once-daily oral medication with minimal side effects. If you have Hepatitis C, there has never been a better time to be treated.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne virus that causes chronic liver inflammation in approximately 75-85% of those infected. Chronic HCV leads progressively to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis (irreversible scarring), liver failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) — the fourth most common cause of cancer death globally.
Approximately 2.4 million Americans have chronic HCV infection. Tragically, many don't know they have it, and many who do know still haven't accessed curative treatment due to cost concerns, stigma, or lack of access to specialists.
The Revolution: Direct-Acting Antivirals
Prior to 2013, Hepatitis C treatment involved pegylated interferon injections with ribavirin — requiring 24-48 weeks of treatment, with cure rates of 40-80% and severe side effects including depression, anemia, and flu-like symptoms. The treatment was often worse than the disease.
DAAs changed everything. These oral medications directly target proteins essential to HCV replication, achieving cure rates of 95-99% regardless of genotype. Side effects are minimal. Duration is just 8-12 weeks. Most people can work normally throughout treatment.
Current DAA Medications
Mavyret (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir)
Pan-genotypic — works for all HCV genotypes 1-6. Just 8 weeks for treatment-naive patients without cirrhosis. 3 tablets once daily with food. 97-100% cure rates in clinical trials.
Epclusa (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir)
Pan-genotypic. 12 weeks. Particularly useful for genotype 3 and patients with decompensated cirrhosis. One tablet daily.
Harvoni (sofosbuvir/ledipasvir)
Genotype 1 (most common in US), 4, 5, 6. 8-12 weeks depending on cirrhosis status. One tablet daily.
The Treatment Process at Synergy MD Clinic
- Testing — HCV antibody test, then HCV RNA if positive. Genotype determination.
- Liver Assessment — Non-invasive liver fibrosis assessment (FibroScan or blood markers)
- Treatment Selection — Individualized based on genotype, liver disease stage, comorbidities, and insurance
- Monitoring — HCV RNA at week 4 and end of treatment
- SVR Confirmation — HCV RNA 12 weeks after treatment ends. If undetectable: YOU ARE CURED.
HCV and Substance Use — No Barrier to Treatment
A critically important advance: active substance use, including injection drug use, is no longer a barrier to HCV treatment. Cure rates in people who inject drugs are equivalent to those who don't. Patients on MAT (Suboxone, methadone) respond equally well to DAA therapy.
At Synergy MD Clinic, we treat all eligible patients with HCV regardless of substance use history. In fact, Dr. Kaura's dual expertise in Infectious Disease and Addiction Medicine makes us uniquely positioned to manage HCV in this population.
Who Should Get Tested?
CDC recommends HCV testing for: all adults 18+ (one time), anyone who has ever injected drugs, people with HIV, Baby Boomers (born 1945-1965), and anyone exposed through transfusion/transplant before 1992.