Pharmacist-led Hepatitis C Management
Pharmacist-led Hepatitis C Management
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized
 persons in Canada. During the interferon treatment era, certain circumstances precluded
 individuals from receiving treatment, most notably mental health concerns or active substance
 use. In addition to the tolerability and efficacy of all-oral direct acting antivirals
 (DAAs), novel diagnostic strategies have also increased engagement in the care cascade.
 Point-of care and/or dried blood spot antibody as well as RNA testing allow for diagnosis
 without the need for phlebotomy, a major barrier for those with a history of past or current
 injection drug use. Despite these advances in diagnostic streamlining and increased cure
 rates, engagement post-diagnosis continues to be a major gap. Although the exact mechanism of
 HCV acquisition may not be clear - people who inject drugs, persons who are street-involved
 or low-income, or persons who are difficult-to-reach for other reasons, often experience both
 structural and geographic challenges to obtaining care. Community pharmacists may be the
 first point of contact for higher risk populations and may avoid testing and/or treatment for
 fear of judgement or poor treatment in hospital/specialist settings. While studies have
 demonstrated the feasibility of treating people receiving opioid against therapy (OAT), it
 remains unclear whether Canadian pharmacists can safely and effectively screen, and/or
 confirm HCV, work-up patients for HCV treatment, and prescribe with minimal oversight. If
 this model proves successful, it may have global utility especially in areas of the world
 where pharmacists are the initial point of contact for healthcare issues. The aim of this
 study is to determine whether being tested and linked care and treatment will be more
 effective in a community pharmacy than a referral to a tertiary care hospital for management
 of HCV among people on stable OAT, or other populations who experience barriers to care but
 use community pharmacy services.
Inclusion Criteria:

 1. HCV infection

 2. HCV RNA > 1,000 IU/mL

 3. Aged 18 to 80

 4. Willingness and capacity to provide informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 1. Presence of or history of decompensated cirrhosis. This will be defined as evidence of
 clinical decompensation (history of either ascites, variceal hemorrhage, or hepatic
 encephalopathy/confusion), and Child-Pugh-Turcotte and Model for Endstage Liver
 Disease (MELD) score will also be used to assess this using laboratory investigations
 and clinical findings.

 2. Platelets < 75,000/mm3, total albumin <35 g/L, total bilirubin (total and direct)
 >34.2 μmol/L, International Normalized Ratio (INR) >1.5

 3. History of current or past hepatocellular carcinoma

 4. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection as indicated by positive testing for hepatitis B
 surface antigen (HBsAg +ve)or untreated HIV co-infection

 5. Prior HCV antiviral therapy with direct-acting antivirals with or without
 peginterferon/ribavirin

 6. Chronic liver disease other than mild non-alcoholic or alcoholic fatty liver disease
 from a cause other than HCV

 7. Significant co-morbid illness that precludes inclusion in the opinion of the
 investigator

 8. Life expectancy of less than 1 year. If clarity is required, the provider who
 delivered the diagnosis will be contacted.

 9. Pregnancy/breast-feeding/inability to use contraception

 10. Use of concomitant contraindicated drugs