Renad Ghanem

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A new oral medication that claims to help in curing hepatitis C was highlighted at a conference on the disease in Jeddah, but it comes with a hefty price tag.



Dr. Abdullah Gozai Al-Ghamdi, a specialist in hepatology, liver transplants and gastroenterology who made the presentation at the event held by the Saudi Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and Transplantation at the Crowne Plaza, said the cost of the medication was about SR317,000 for a course of three months.



There are about 120 patients who are using this treatment in Saudi Arabia, he said.



His presentation covered the history of hepatitis C in the Kingdom, infection, prevention and treatment methods and medication types.



Since 2008, a test for hepatitis C before someone can get married or donate blood is required.



According to statistics, about 1 million people had been screened since that date.



They also showed that the number of people with hepatitis C does not exceed 0.7 percent of the total population. Hepatitis C is transmitted by blood.