Access to peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C in Romania between 2002-2009.

Background: An overall prevalence rate of HCV infection in Romanian adult population was recently estimated to be 3.23%. The proportion of treated patients with chronic hepatitis C in our country has never been assessed.

Aims: 1) to analyze the quality and quantity of antiviral therapy delivery; 2) to determine the proportion of patients being annually and ever treated with antiviral therapy in Romania and 3) to identify barriers against treatment of HCV infected-population in Romania.

Results: The number of annually treated patients remained relatively stable between 2002 and 2007 (1,813 patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in 2002 and 2,446 in 2007). There was a doubled increase in reimbursed treatment in 2008 and 2009 (4,503 and respectively 4,701 treated patients) due to a special campaign organized to increase awareness and prevention of HCV transmission. The median time to therapy approval varies from county to county; overall it is 10.23 months. A total number of 25,318 patients with chronic C hepatitis were treated between 2002-2009, corresponding to a cumulative proportion of 4.1% of the prevalent cases of HCV infection treated in Romania until 1st January 2010. The main limiting factor of access to antiviral therapy for hepatitis C in Romania remains the lack of funds.

Conclusions: This is the first analysis of the nationwide practice for treatment of hepatitis C in Romania. Increased public health efforts are required to improve access to antiviral therapy for hepatitis C in Romania.