Data demonstrates that safer, simpler therapies enable HCV care in the community setting

LA JOLLA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 22, 2019 / Trio Health today announced publication of its study entitled "Changing Demographics among Populations Prescribed HCV Treatment,"^[1] in the American Journal of Managed Care. The study concluded that using safer and simpler therapies enabled HCV treatment to move from the specialist setting to community-based general practitioners.

"These data are important to advancing HCV-patient care, and to address the proclamation issued by the WHO, CMS, and AASLD to eliminate HCV," said Naoky Tsai, MD, University of Hawaii, and lead study author. "Our findings support two main concepts: first, that co-localized HCV care is feasible, in that screening and linkage to care occur in the same location; and second, that de-centralization in treatment of HCV does not require specialist expertise, except in specific, severe cases."

To conduct this study, Trio Health used data from specialty pharmacies and healthcare providers to evaluate patient populations prescribed anti-HCV therapies from 2013-2017. During this time, eight new interferon-free, all-oral regimens became available. Also, in this time frame, the HCV population that had previously failed therapy (i.e. treatment-experienced) decreased from 44% to 21%, the fraction with cirrhosis decreased from 45% to 21%, and site of care shifted from the specialist in academic settings (61% of patients treated in 2014) to community-based general practitioners (87% of patients in 2017).

DAA-Prescribed HCV Populations, 2013-2017

The changes that took place during this time were not strictly linear. The largest shifts occurred early in the observation window, after three of the eight new therapies were available. Incremental changes in disease severity, population characteristics, and site of care continued with the approval of five additional regimens between July 2015 and December 2017. These regimens addressed niche populations or provided single treatment options regardless of patient or disease characteristics.

"HCV care, and the HCV-infected population itself, significantly changed as a result of more effective, safer, and simpler therapies," said Dr. Scott Milligan, Head of Analytics, Trio Health. "Notably, these changes occurred despite restrictive coverage policies from commercial and Medicaid payers, and while reimbursement policies have become more inclusive, access to these treatments remain a barrier to HCV eradication."

About Trio Health

Trio Health's mission is to improve quality of care by coordinating the efforts of all patient care stakeholders. Their first-of-its-kind Multi-Disease Platform (MDX) combines disparate data in real-time from physicians and pharmacies throughout the patient journey and provides unparalleled insight of real-world patients from a clinical, operational, and financial perspective.

CONTACT:

For Trio Health

Brad Miles
Solebury Trout
646-513-3125
bmiles@troutgroup.com

^[1] Tsai N et al. (2019). Changing Demographics Among Populations Prescribed HCV Treatment, 2013-2017. Am J Manag Care. 2019;25(7):319-323

SOURCE: Trio Health