Hepatitis C Support Group

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.

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FDA Approves Genotype Test

ImKramer
ImKramer
FDA approves first genotyping test for patients with hepatitis C virus
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm357982.htm
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
color me DUMB, i don't get it. haven't we had genotype testing for years? is this saaing that someone got a patent on some new way of doing it???
ImKramer
ImKramer
yes we've had geno type testing for a while but I think this might be another way to test.
dragonars
dragonars
Hope it's not the finger wave.
WarriorGal
WarriorGal
was there any prob with the existing way? was more precise genotyping needed/ she asks, wondering "aloud."

"just more cos cashing in on the epedmic # of heppers" her cynical side answers...
ImKramer
ImKramer
I "think" this test is more in depth in regards to determining all genotypes including subgroups like 1a, 1b.
When I had my test done it only reported geno 1, not whether I am a or b.
It has been a chore to try and find out if I am a or b, still waiting for the results. That is the situation in Canada anyway.
ImKramer
ImKramer
HCV Genotype Test Kit OK'd
By John Gever, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today
Published: June 20, 2013
SILVER SPRING, Md. -- The first standardized test kit for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping has won FDA approval, the agency said Thursday.

Abbott Molecular's RealTime HCV Genotype II test identifies the specific viral genotype -- classified as 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, or 5 -- present in clinical samples. This information is vital for treatment planning, as available treatments for HCV infection vary in effectiveness according to genotype.

HCV genotyping was previously available only with lightly regulated "home brew" tests performed at individual clinical laboratories using their own recipes. The Abbott test runs on the company's fully automated m2000 instrument platform for clinical labs.