Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects over 250,000 Canadians and accounts for more years of life lost than any other infectious disease in the country. In 2012, direct acting antivirals (DAAs) were approved for the treatment of HCV in Canada and the growing use of these agents has been associated with declining HCV-related hospital admissions. Reimbursement mechanisms and treatment guidelines for DAAs have changed on three occasions since 2012, including initial coverage through the exceptional access program, a subsequent move to the general formulary as limited use, and the inclusion of newer agents on the formulary.
Given the changing reimbursement and treatment environment, this study aimed to understand the characteristics of individuals prescribed DAAs and the specialty of prescribing physicians between 2012 and 2018 in Ontario.
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