AASLD Response to Media Report of Hepatitis C "Cure"

AASLD Response to Media Report on Hepatitis C Virus "Cure"

The AASLD would like to clarify the news story reported in the Washington Post and BBC News concerning a study on therapy of hepatitis C that was presented at the 38th Digestive Diseases Week conference. This study, by Dr. Mitchell Shiffman and colleagues, monitored blood levels of HCV up to seven years in patients with hepatitis C who were treated with peginterferon-based therapy and remained negative for HCV in the blood for 6 months after ending treatment. About 50% of patients treated with the current combination of peginterferon and ribavirin can achieve this goal of virus negativity after the end of therapy. The current study showed that patients who achieve this goal after treatment remained negative for HCV for many years. This study does not make the claim that peginterferon, either alone or in combination with ribavirin, reduces HCV RNA to undetectable levels for up to seven years in over 99% of all patients with hepatitis C who are treated. The AASLD believes that this message was erroneously implied in the news story and would like to correct this misinterpretation.

Media Contact

Greg Bologna
gbologna@aasld.org
Ann Tracy
atracy@aasld.org

AASLD
1001 North Fairfax, Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-299-9766
Fax: 703-299-9676

Media Notice

AASLD welcomes the members of the trade press and other media to AASLD scientific educational meetings and the 57th Annual Meeting-The Liver Meeting® of AASLD. We support the efforts of the media in helping disseminate the important medical, educational, and other information imparted during this event.

In carrying out your activities, we must insist that you respect two fundamental principles. First, there is a significant difference between legitimate reporting and simple summarization. AASLD itself publishes a proceedings manual for those interested in that type of document. Second, any article or other report on the AASLD scientific educational meetings and Annual Meeting may not be presented in a manner that creates any confusion regarding any association between the reporting entity and AASLD. That is, it must be clear that the article is being provided by the media entity, and not directly or indirectly by AASLD.

Thank you in advance for abiding by these simple but important and inviolate rules. If you have any questions regarding their application, please do not hesitate to contact Ann Tracy, Publications Manager.

Accreditation

If you are a freelance journalist, a statement from the Managing Editor or equivalent of a trade publication, mainstream media outlet (newspaper, radio, television, etc.), or an online magazine stating that you will be covering the event on behalf of that particular media outlet.

In lieu of such statement, please send us a published story you have written on a scientific, technical, or medical subject.
If you are employed full time on an editorial staff, please fax or email us the masthead of the publication.