Colorado Hepatitis C Support Groups

For individuals infected with hepatitis C and family members affected by hepatitis C.  Free and confidential monthly meetings.  New members always welcome.

Metro-Denver

Happy Holidays from the Staff at Hep C Connection!

Hep C Connection staff wish you, your family, and friends a very joyful, safe, and warm holiday season!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 is Colorado Gives Day!

Support Hep C Connection's Work to Improve the Lives of People Affected by Hepatitis C!

Mark your calendar for Colorado Gives Day, an initiative to increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving.  Presented by Community First Foundation, Colorado Gives Day will take place during a 24-hour period on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. 

• It's 24 hours to give where you live!
• Hep C Connection will get 100% of your donation
• The FirstBank Incentive Fund increases the value of every dollar donated
• Donating is simple and online at  www.coloradogives.org/HepC

You don't have to live in Colorado to give and this year you have the opportunity to preschedule your donation by clicking here! 

Olysio (simeprevir) is Approved by the Food and Drug Administration

A new drug combination was approved on November 22, 2013 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat a genotype 1 hepatitis C infection in patients with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis, who have either never gone through treatment or have gone through treatment and it was unsuccessful.  The new drug's brand name is Olysio and its generic name is simeprevir.  It's a protease inhibitor developed by Janssen Research & Development, LLC and is intended to be prescribed with ribavirin and peginterferon-alfa. 

Patients that took simeprevir in clinical trials reported fewer side effects compared to patients that were prescribed one of the other two protease inhibitors that were approved by the FDA in 2011 (telaprevir and boceprevir).  Clinical trial data also showed a rate of success of more than 80% and treatment time was 24 weeks for most patients that took simeprevir.  Read more here.

Articles of Interest

11/01/2013 /Jennifer Brown / Everyday Health

As we enter the months when we see an increase in the number of flu cases, you should ask your doctor about the flu vaccination because it has been shown to reduce a patient's risk for hospitalization from complications associated with the flu such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections.  Patients with chronic hepatitis C, particularly patients with cirrhosis, that fall ill with the flu may be at an increased risk for serious complications compared to the general population.

Full Article

11/05/2013 /  HCV Advocate

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) published a Clinical Decision Tool for hepatitis C screening and evaluation to guide physicians as they meet with their patients.  This tool should lead to many more patients being tested for hepatitis C which is crucial because of the many successful treatment options that patients now have and will have in the near future.

Full Article

Hepatitis C Screening and Evaluation Clinical Decision Support Tool

Featured HCV Clinical Trials

Thank you Lion and Tin Man Sponsors!