“This is thought to be the consequence of the rapid treatment-induced reduction in hepatitis C virus, which is known to suppress the hepatitis B virus, and the lack of activity against hepatitis B virus of direct-acting antivirals.”
PRAC also recommended that pharmaceutical companies include a warning label on prescriptions about the return of hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection targeting the liver, resulting in chronic and acute disease, according to the World Health Organization. More than 686,000 people die annually from complications of hepatitis B. The virus spreads through blood or other bodily fluids.
Hepatitis C is another contagious form of liver disease. It’s also spread through the blood. According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 2.7 million people in this U.S. are living with chronic hepatitis C.