Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. In most cases no symptoms are present. However in severe cases the patient may experience scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) leading to liver failure and liver transplant. There are various ways Hepatitis C is transmitted. The most common occurs from blood contact with an infected person, intravenous drug use, and unprotected sexual contact with someone who is already infected. In rare cases a mother who has Hepatitis C can pass it to her unborn fetus. Diagnosis is done through an antibody test and viral load which determines the amount of virus in the blood.

There are two phases that can occur with hepatitis, acute or chronic. Acute Hepatitis is short-term with little or no symptoms. Some patients with acute hepatitis may experience yellowing of the skin (jaundice) that goes away. In some cases, people may be able to clear the virus on their own. Chronic Hepatitis often causes no symptoms, but the virus is reproducing in the blood.

Hepatitis C does not always require treatment. However, regular monitoring is recommended. Careful screening is performed before starting treatment to determine the type of virus strain, medications prescribed, length of treatment and cure rate expected. Strict compliance and adherence is required when a patient is receiving therapy as adherence best determines the need for future therapies.

New London Specialty Pharmacy provides an adherence program that effectively promotes a team effort between the pharmacists and healthcare providers to promote health through education, refill assessments, counseling, specialized packaging, side effect management and referral to peer support groups to improve and manage patient’s treatment goals. New London Specialty Pharmacy effectively promotes a team environment between the pharmacists and the patient’s provider. Our pharmacists continuously strive to establish an integrated approach to the Hepatitis C patient that balances symptom management with adequate medication use.