title: Current treatment of chronic hepatitis C in China: Dilemma and potential problems.
abstract: Major advances have been made in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with the advent of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). China has the most cases of HCV infection worldwide, but none of the DAAs has been approved in mainland China so far, and interferon (IFN)-α-based treatment remains the standard of care. HCV patients without response or with contraindications to IFN-based therapy have no alternative options. However, many patients buy DAAs, especially the generic forms of sofosbuvir, from other countries or areas. Under these circumstances, the use of these drugs may cause many predictable and unpredictable problems in ethics, law and medical practice. Given the obstacles of legal accessibility to DAAs and the potential problems of obtaining and using DAAs in China, the early launching of the DAAs in China or the legalization of buying drugs from areas outside China and using these drugs in China is an urgent issue and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible, in the interest of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Qun-Ying Han, Zheng-Wen Liu, Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qun-Ying
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Qun-Ying Han, Zheng-Wen Liu, Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Zheng-Wen
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016568:Drugs, Generic
keywords: China; Direct-acting antiviral agent; Generics; Hepatitis C virus infection; Treatment