Author information
1
Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: Benjamin.Linas@bmc.org.
2
Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
This commentary reviews the core principals of cost-effectiveness and applies them to the rapidly evolving context of hepatitis C virus treatment in the United States. The article provides a foundation of evidence that hepatitis C virus treatment provides good economic value, even though it is expensive, and even when treating people who inject drugs who are at high risk for hepatitis C virus reinfection. The price of medications has decreased, but the high price continues to limit access to care. This wedge between cost effectiveness and affordability stands front and center as one of the leading obstacles to elimination.