{
  "id": 14088220,
  "title": "8-week Hepatitis C treatment as good as 12-week course: ICMR study says it saves Rs 5,000",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/8-week-hepatitis-c-treatment-as-good-as-12-week-course-icmr-study",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-13T01:37:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/health-wellness/hepatitis-c-treatment-weeks-course-icmr-study-10918803/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent Indian study published in The Lancet has found that an eight-week course of antiviral drugs can effectively cure hepatitis C, similar to the standard 12-week treatment, for patients without cirrhosis. This could lead to significant cost savings, as the shorter course could cut drug expenses by about a third, or roughly Rs 5,000 per patient. The trial, called RESOLVE, involved 880 patients at five public hospitals across India. Among those who completed treatment, the cure rates were nearly identical at 98.8% for the eight-week regimen and 99% for the standard 12-week treatment. This shorter regimen could also reduce the burden on patients, as they would need fewer hospital visits and less time away from work. The findings apply to patients without cirrhosis, as their treatment is more complex and requires longer courses. Implementing the shorter regimen could help India move closer to eliminating hepatitis C as a public health problem. However, further research is needed to determine if the treatment can also be shortened for patients with more advanced liver disease.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Eight-week Hepatitis C treatment as effective as 12-week course",
    "Cuts drug expenses by about Rs 5,000 per patient",
    "Shorter regimen reduces hospital visits and work time for patients"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Shortening the antiviral course for patients without cirrhosis lowers treatment expenses and reduces the patient burden, offering a more efficient pathway toward eliminating hepatitis C as a public health problem.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}