Chronic Hepatitis C is not only rampant in prison and jail populations, but it is also vastly undertreated. In 2013 there was a class-action lawsuit filed against Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections (the prison system that Abu-Jamal is held in) to challenge the Hepatitis C treatment protocol that was in place. Under that, and the current protocol, multiple plaintiffs with advanced liver disease have been denied treatment. In May of 2015 another class-action lawsuit was filed, again for denying Hepatitis C treatment to prisoners. This time it was against the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC). Shortly after that case was filed, another class-action lawsuit was filed against the Massachusetts HYPERLINK "http://blogs.wsj.com/pharmalot/2015/06/11/prisoners-sue-massachusetts-for-withholding-hepatitis-c-drugs/"DOC for denying Hepatitis C treatment.
Furthermore it has been found that treating Hepatitis C in prisons is feasible and just as effective as in the non-incarcerated population. Additionally, although Hepatitis C treatment is expensive, it's been found to be cost-effective in the long term. Complications of cirrhosis rack up medical costs far greater than the Hepatitis C treatment itself. It is thought that prison healthcare systems, which are already tight on funds, frequently do not see the return on this prevention, as most patients will be released. However, a study released in 2008 found that in fact, except for certain segments of the population, treatment for HYPERLINK "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=18924228"Hepatitis CHYPERLINK "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=18924228" HYPERLINK "http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=18924228"was still cost-effective.
The final nail in the coffin is that the Department of Corrections for other states are successfully treating Hepatitis C. Dr. Mark Beiter, a physician in Washington state correctional facilities from 2009-2013 reported that "we didn't have a lot of money" [but] anyone with stage 3 fibrosis or above would get treatment for Hepatitis C." He also notes that the prison went out of their way to facilitate the completion of the treatment, "If [a patient] went on Hepatitis C treatment they had a hold placed on them and couldn't be moved unless the medical team [approved it]."
In 2008 the Connecticut DOC released a study that found that under their protocol 49% of patients who wanted Hepatitis C treatment were given it. Of those that were denied treatment, 40% were due to release being sooner than the duration of the treatment and 22% were due to other medical reasons.
The mantra that DOCs like Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota repeat is that the financial and logistical barriers to Hepatitis C treatment in prisons are too great. However, DOCs such as Washington and Connecticut prove them wrong. It's not that they can't provide Hepatitis C treatment; it's that they won't.
***In Part B of this piece we will explore the failure to treat Mr. Abu-Jamal's diabetes that led to serious complications as well as the lack of basic healthcare across the country in prison and jail settings.
JESS GUH, MD is a member of ThisCantBeHappening!, the independent, uncompromised, five-time Project Censored Award-winning online alternative news site. Her work, and that of colleagues JOHN GRANT, DAVE LINDORFF, GARY LINDORFF, ALFREDO LOPEZ, LINN WASHINGTON, JR. and the late CHARLES M. YOUNG, can be found at www.thiscantbehappening.net
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