In general, what are your thoughts about the new drugs under development?
I've been involved with hepatitis C testing and drug development since 1989. This was before we had our first therapy to treat hepatitis C and I feel confident that we will continue to improve treatment. I feel that we will be able to cure 85-90% or more of patients with new therapies that are better tolerated and given for a shorter duration. Predictions about the future are very difficult, but I think it is accurate to say in 3 to 5 years that we will have new drugs to treat hepatitis C.
It's an exciting time to be involved with hepatitis C research. We have been waiting for these drugs for a long time. They have been very difficult to create and I am very happy and excited to actually have the new drugs in clinical trials because there is such an unmet need in the HCV population.
About Dr. Pockros:
Dr. Paul J. Pockros is currently the Division Head of Gastroenterology/Hepatology at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California.
