Two new drugs were launched for fighting Hepatitis C at an affordable price as experts from across the globe gathered in New Delhi to discuss progress in finding treatment to the dreaded Hepatitis B and C liver diseases. During a three-day conference organised by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) and Asia Pacific Association for Study of Liver (APASL), the experts resolved to find treatment for Hepatitis-B, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has termed as a “major global health problem”.

According to WHO, an estimated 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B and more than 7,80,000 people die every year due to complications of Hepatitis B which includes cirrhosis and liver cancer.

The doctors claimed that the two drugs have almost negligible side effects and high cure rate of 90 per cent. The two new drugs, along with oral antiviral drug, have brought fresh hope to Hepatitis C infected patients whose treatment heavily depends upon weekly injections with “notorious side effects”, doctors said. They complete the spectrum of second wave drugs against Hepatitis C and now 95 per cent of patients in India can be treated. Besides Hepatitis C, these drugs are even safe and effective in patients with kidney disease and Thalassemia.