A new drug, available in the public health network, can benefit patients with hepatitis B who have a contraindication to the treatment offered in the Unified Health System (SUS). Incorporated by the Ministry of Health, the use of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) will provide a third option for treating the disease for people in whom the use of conventional tenofovir and entecavir is not possible.
“The incorporation occurred since, for some specific patients, TAF proved to be safer in relation to bone and kidney dysfunctions, when compared to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), an antiretroviral and antiviral drug also used for AIDS in Brazil. However, the same was not as significant when compared to the results of entecavir.
Therefore, from now on, patients who are being treated for hepatitis B and have contraindications to the use of existing drugs, can make use of the new option”, the Ministry of Health said in a note on Tuesday (22).
By the end of April, the Ministry of Health is expected to distribute more than 1 million pills of the new drug, according to the amount requested by each state or district health department. The investment is over R$ 18 million in the acquisition of the lot.
Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) was recommended by the National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies in the Unified Health System (Conitec), responsible for the incorporation of treatments, technologies and supplies into the SUS.
