Unkillable Monster

Sovaldi can successfully treat Hepatitis C

Hepatitis Medicaid Yes, Sovaldi can successfully treat Hepatitis C. But at what cost?

In some quarters, it is known as the Sovaldi Squeeze: on one side, the urgent need to treat a disease, and on the other, the budget crippling cost of doing so. Connecticut, like other states, is caught in the middle.

Sovaldi is the trade name of the drug sofosbuvir, marketed by the California based pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. It is used to treat Hepatitis C, a viral disease that eventually leads to liver failure, and is said to have a success rate of more than 90 percent, with manageable side effects.

All of that is to the good, and Sovaldi is being hailed by many as the much needed answer to the growing problem of Hepatitis C, a condition that affected more than 21,000 Americans in 2012.

But then there’s the cost.

A typical 12 week regimen of the drug costs about $1,000 a pill, or a total of $84,000, an amount so high that it sparked a congressional investigation. (Rebates from Gilead mean states may pay somewhat less than that.)

The Courant reported last week that the cost of treating Medicaid patients with Sovaldi is a big reason the state Department of Social Services now faces a deficit of more than $100 million. With the state budget deep in red ink, that figure is alarming.

But what is to be done? When it comes to the Sovaldi Squeeze, there are many more questions than answers. Among them:

the high price tag simply a reflection of the billions it cost to develop the drug, or a case of corporate greed?

states limited access to the drug last year to only the most severely ill cases, leaving many low income people untreated, according to The Wall Street Journal. Should Connecticut join them?

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the issue is that Sovaldi may be just at the forefront of an avalanche of highly effective, yet highly expensive, drugs. Lawmakers and state officials need to talk about how to balance cost and cure. And the sooner, the better. Edition Advertising Real Estate Autos Jobs Work Shop Classifieds Autos Auto Deals Find A Job List A Job Jobs Work Real Estate Place An Ad Local Business Ad Options Check Listings Obituaries Place An Obit Reminder Ads Sell Your Car Sell Your Home For Sale By Ow Pets Connecticut Breaking News Weather Traffic Politics Nation World Health Education Photos Video Data Desk Courant 250th Health Connect Brand Extra Public Notices Noticias Lottery CitylineOversightEye ContactThe ScoopCapitol WatchThe Day In PicturesMugs In The NewsGalleries Video Eye Contact Buy A Photo All Towns Submit News Town Heroes Reminder News Avon Berlin Bloomfield Bristol Canton East Hartford Enfield Farmington Glastonbury Hartford Manchester Middletown New Britain Newington Plainville Rocky Hill Simsbury Southington South Windsor Vernon West Hartford Wethersfield Windsor Breaking UConn Men Men Insider UConn Women Women Insider UConn Football FB Insider High Schools College UConn Huskies CT Sun NFL MLB NBA Hockey Wolf Pack Golf More Sports Stats Scores TV Schedule UConn MenUConn WomenUConn FootballJeff JacobsBreaking Autos Real Estate Smarter Living Success Find A Job Jobs Work Top Workplaces Local Business Local Ads The Haar ReportProperty LineInsurance CapitalThe Bottom LineWho’s Climbing CT’s Career Ladder?Main StreetBreaking Capitol Watch Education National Jon LenderOpinion Editorials Insight Letters Cartoons Op Ed Columnists Flag Flagged MaybeMayor Segarra Needs Public United Against ViolenceFeatures Healthy Living Success Food Travel Travel Extra Parenting Home Garden Pets Obituaries Horoscopes Comics Games Crossword Deals Lottery Health Connect Brand Extra Too SheaSavvy ShopperJavaMommy MinuteThe Bottom LineDeal Of The DayArts/Theater CTNOW Food Drink Movies Music Celebrity Television Travel Travel Extra Games JavaA La CarteBehind The CurtainSound CheckArt SmartThings To Do In ConnecticutTV ListingsNews Sports Photos Coupons Classifieds Place An Ad Cars Jobs Good Neighbor Speak Out Contact Us Advertisers Home Cover Stories Best Of Food Drink People Fashion Family Fun Features Healthy Living Home Living Travel Upfront Weddings Town Spotlight Where To Buy Subscribe Contact Us Home Cover Stories Best Of Food Drink People Fashion Family Fun Features Healthy Living Home Living Travel Upfront Weddings Town Spotlight Where to buy Subscribe Contact Us Site Map Tour The Site Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms: Update About Our Ads Advertising Subscribe Our Mission Courant 250 FAQ Digital Plus Place An Ad Ad Options Media Kit 435 Digital Local Business About Our Ads Buy A Home Sell Your Home Rentals For Sale By Ow Home Garden New Car Specia Used Car Speci Courant Store Local Ads Local Business Back Issues Keepsake Pages Buy A Photo Subscribe Gift Subscribe Membership Search Archive SaveNowCT Travel Deals Savvy ShopperArticles Connexes：