HARVONI 12 WEEKS OR 24 WEEKS QUESTION

[FRED220]

I hope you can uderstand what I am trying to ask.:)  I know that treatment naive need only 12 weeks and prior patients that have relapsed need 24 weeks. How do they come up with these numbers, what is it that makes the treatment naive only need the 12 weeks , iIs it because the body has never had meds in the system or what?  

[Ekkiemom]

Hi Fred so happy you are here!

No worries, your approval will come in no time and then you will be on your way to TX and then SVR.  
This is a great time to treat with so many positive outcomes for all!!  Keep coming back!

Good luck to you
Peace
Deb

[FRED220]

Why was I woundering? Just wanted to know the science behind it  I am currently waiting for approval for Harvoni for 24 weeks and hoping it gets approved, if not, I will post here and get some suggestions to getting approved from some of you that have crossed that road. I have read lots of post here and other site and it appears as Harvoni is a very tolerable med, hoping it is.  Every morning when I wake up I go strait to my mailbox hoping the approval letter is there , it stinks when its not.    

[Livelife777]

Hi Fred.  May I ask why you were wondering this question?  Have you SVR or have you relapsed?  So hard to keep up with everyone's journey.
Do know that those with Cirrhosis seem to have a harder time reaching SVR.
Hence, 24 weeks would be the required duration for most.
Prior treaters also need added help as they were unable to sustain SVR and can be more difficult to cure.
Tx naive are just that.  They have not been introduced nor had contact with these meds so resistance is unlikely.  Not exactly sure the connection, but as with all drugs tolerance is a likely reason.
Hope that you are getting info to get started to treat.  The sooner this virus is out of everyone's system the better in my book.  Whatever the reason the current therapy is untouched in the analogs of history.  I hope that you find yourself virus free and enjoying life as it was meant to be.
.....Kim

[Dee1956]

48weeks, Sandi, great answers.  Funny.... I could not get those thoughts out in a coherent manner.  So glad you guys could do it.
Thank you!
Dee

[hepc4Sandi]

They come up with the numbers from the many trials that are done before the drug is released. They test on relapsed and naive people of all genotypes, for different periods of time. Take a look at the physician release notes, available on the Gilead website, and you can see results from some of the previous trials.

[48weeks]

I don't know why they come up with the numbers they do, but the numbers you reference here aren't exactly correct. Treatment naive treat for 12 weeks if they don't have cirrhosis. Treatment experienced also treat for 12 weeks if they don't have cirrhosis.