More teachers and state employees with hepatitis-C will be
eligible for treatment with expensive drugs under changes adopted by a
state board on Tuesday.
The changes approved by the State and Public School Life and
Health Insurance Board broadened criteria for the treatment that the
board set just over a month ago for coverage of the drugs, which can
cost more than $86,000 for a 12-week course of treatment.
The changes will also allow most patients who meet the
criteria to take a drug regimen that does not involve injections of
interferon, which can cause flulike side effects.
Labels: access to treatment, Arkansas