10,000 Hepatitis C Patients Could Hold The Key To Better Treatment

[Guest guest]

10,000 Hepatitis C Patients Could Hold The Key To Better

Treatment

04 Feb 2011

The Medical Research Foundation, an independent registered charity

established by the Medical Research Council (MRC), has donated

nearly £2 million to establish a clinical database of 10,000

patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This will enable a

UK-wide network of researchers to find new ways to tackle the deadly

infection.

While there has been considerable progress in the scientific

understanding of the disease in recent years, it is currently

extremely difficult to track effectively the spread of HCV and to

understand the biological roots of the illness.

Dr McLauchlan will lead the project at the newly-established

Medical Research Council - University of Glasgow Centre for Virus

Research in partnership with Professor Will Irving at Nottingham

University. Patients will be recruited from clinical centres across

the UK currently providing care to HCV patients. The initiative will

create HCV Research UK, a consortium of clinicians, academics and

healthcare professionals, which aims to promote collaborative

research into HCV infection across the UK.

The lack of strategic surveillance of the disease in the UK has also

made it harder for doctors to determine why some patients can

develop symptoms as soon as they are infected, while others only go

onto develop cirrhosis of the liver after many years. By collecting

and analysing clinical samples taken from patients, the project will

also help researchers examine why certain patients fail to respond

to treatment.

At least 250,000 people in the UK are thought to be infected with

HCV, the blood-borne virus, which can cause severe liver damage in

up to 20 per cent of patients. HCV is ten times easier to contract

than HIV, with prisoners and drug users particularly vulnerable to

infection.

Dr McLauchlan at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus

Research says:

"With Hepatitis C rates continuing to rise and place an increasing

strain on healthcare resources, it's crucial that we attack this

disease on as many fronts as possible. By creating a well-structured

resource, we hope that it will stimulate both clinical and

fundamental research into HCV infection in the UK and form the basis

for many future studies."

Source:

Medical Research Foundation

University of Glasgow

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215587.php

--

Bill Eastman

www.ke5asu.com/links.html

[Guest guest]

Hi Bill and All,

Sure wish they had a study in the US about what causes Hep C to progress. I've

had it over 40 years and am still fine. I have in the last few years used Dr

Berkson's protocol, but that doesn't answer why I have stayed in early stages

all the years before.I do know that I have avoided alcohol and all meds possible

(only use if absolutely needed) since I was told I had liver disease in 1966.

There needs to be research on why some progress quickly, while others don't.

All doctors I have seen consistantly agree that I should not do conventional

treatment. It would be great to know who needs to treat asap and who can easily

wait until less difficult treatment is available. For now, I just stay on Dr

Berkson's protocol and that seems to work.

Did you get the freeze down in Austin? I live just above Waco and it was REALLY

cold for a few days--nice now.

SuziQ

>

>

> 10,000 Hepatitis C Patients Could Hold The Key To Better Treatment

>

> 04 Feb 2011

>

> The Medical Research Foundation, an independent registered charity

> established by the Medical Research Council (MRC), has donated nearly £2

> million to establish a clinical database of 10,000 patients infected

> with hepatitis C virus (HCV). This will enable a UK-wide network of

> researchers to find new ways to tackle the deadly infection.

>

> While there has been considerable progress in the scientific

> understanding of the disease in recent years, it is currently extremely

> difficult to track effectively the spread of HCV and to understand the

> biological roots of the illness.

>

> Dr McLauchlan will lead the project at the newly-established

> Medical Research Council - University of Glasgow Centre for Virus

> Research in partnership with Professor Will Irving at Nottingham

> University. Patients will be recruited from clinical centres across the

> UK currently providing care to HCV patients. The initiative will create

> HCV Research UK, a consortium of clinicians, academics and healthcare

> professionals, which aims to promote collaborative research into HCV

> infection across the UK.

>

> The lack of strategic surveillance of the disease in the UK has also

> made it harder for doctors to determine why some patients can develop

> symptoms as soon as they are infected, while others only go onto develop

> cirrhosis of the liver after many years. By collecting and analysing

> clinical samples taken from patients, the project will also help

> researchers examine why certain patients fail to respond to treatment.

>

> At least 250,000 people in the UK are thought to be infected with HCV,

> the blood-borne virus, which can cause severe liver damage in up to 20

> per cent of patients. HCV is ten times easier to contract than HIV, with

> prisoners and drug users particularly vulnerable to infection.

>

> Dr McLauchlan at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus

> Research says:

>

> " With Hepatitis C rates continuing to rise and place an increasing

> strain on healthcare resources, it's crucial that we attack this disease

> on as many fronts as possible. By creating a well-structured resource,

> we hope that it will stimulate both clinical and fundamental research

> into HCV infection in the UK and form the basis for many future studies. "

>

> Source:

> Medical Research Foundation

> University of Glasgow

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/215587.php

>

> --

> Bill Eastman

> www.ke5asu.com/links.html <http://www.ke5asu.com/links.html>

>

[Guest guest]

I've got a feeling that s' Hep C progressed so fast because

he was taking the medication for Leukemia. I wonder how the drugs

for the treatment of Leukemia back in 1977 affected the liver.

SuziQ - we got snow and ice in Austin...closed the city - state -

county - schools. They also got it in San , though I don't

know how bad.

Hi Bill and All,

Sure wish they had a study in the US about what causes Hep C to progress. I've had it over 40 years and am still fine. I have in the last few years used Dr Berkson's protocol, but that doesn't answer why I have stayed in early stages all the years before.I do know that I have avoided alcohol and all meds possible (only use if absolutely needed) since I was told I had liver disease in 1966. There needs to be research on why some progress quickly, while others don't. All doctors I have seen consistantly agree that I should not do conventional treatment. It would be great to know who needs to treat asap and who can easily wait until less difficult treatment is available. For now, I just stay on Dr Berkson's protocol and that seems to work. Did you get the freeze down in Austin? I live just above Waco and it was REALLY cold for a few days--nice now. SuziQ

--

Bill Eastman

www.ke5asu.com/links.html