With a total of around 12 million Egyptians currently infected, each shipment will be used to treat only 70,000 patients with a total of 140,000 patients treated by June 2015 Egypt's health minister met on Tuesday with the chief executive officer of the company producing the Hepatitis C drug to discuss a second shipment, state news agency MENA reported. Minister Adel Adawy met Gilead Company's chief executive officer, John C. Martin in his Cairo office, adding that the visit is a confirmation of continuing the distribution of the medicine in Egypt. Egypt, which has the highest rate of Hepatitis C infections in the world, agreed with US pharmaceutical company, Gilead Sciences to receive a shipment of the new Hepatitis C (HCV) treatment, Sovaldi at a fraction of its market cost. With a total of around 12 million Egyptians currently infected, each shipment will be used to treat only 70,000 patients with a total of 140,000 patients treated by June 2015. So far, over 174,000 people have registered online for the drug. Egypt's government has devised an online registration system for patients to register for the treatment. Priorities will be given to those with higher levels of liver deterioration. On the sidelines of the meeting, Adawy confirmed to MENA that the first shipment of the medicine has reached Egypt fully. He said that patients who registered for the treatment are currently being examined, and drugs would be given out to the optimal candidates starting in October. The agreement with Gilead Sciences will provide the drug for one percent of its market price, LE2,200 ($300), according to a previous statement by the health ministry. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/111549.aspx
