Sofosbuvir + Velpatasvir brands and prices in Pakistan

About Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir

Sofosbuvir-velpatasvir is a single tablet that contains two antiviral medicines for hepatitis C. Both stop the hepatitis C virus from copying itself, each in a different way. It belongs to a group of hepatitis C medicines called direct-acting antivirals, and it works against all the main types (genotypes) of the virus. Treatment is decided on and started by a specialist hepatitis C team, who check your progress with blood tests. Most people who complete treatment are cured. Young children may be given it as small pellets instead of tablets.

Who should not take it, or should take care

• Do not take it if you are allergic to sofosbuvir, velpatasvir or any other ingredient.
• Do not take it if you are taking rifampicin, rifabutin, St John's wort, carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin.
• Tell your doctor if you have now or have ever had hepatitis B. You will be tested before treatment and checked during and after it.
• Tell your doctor if you take or have recently taken amiodarone, because of the risk of a dangerously slow heartbeat.
• Tell your doctor if you have liver problems other than hepatitis C, or have had a liver transplant.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems or are on dialysis.
• Tell your doctor if you have HIV and are being treated for it, as you may need closer checks.
• Tell your doctor if you have diabetes. Your blood sugar may need checking more often and your diabetes medicine may need changing.
• Pregnancy: the effects in pregnancy are not known, so ask your doctor before taking it if you are pregnant or planning a baby. If it is given with ribavirin, which can harm an unborn baby, both you and your partner must use effective contraception during treatment and for a time afterwards, as your doctor advises.
• Breastfeeding: the UK leaflet says not to breastfeed during treatment. Talk to your doctor.

Medicines and drinks that can interact

• Must not be taken with rifampicin, rifabutin, St John's wort, carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin, because they stop it working
• Amiodarone (a heart rhythm medicine): can cause a dangerously slow heartbeat
• Rifapentine, oxcarbazepine, modafinil and efavirenz
• Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (used for HIV and hepatitis B)
• Digoxin, dabigatran, and rosuvastatin or other statins
• Warfarin and similar blood thinners: you may need blood tests more often
• Medicines that dampen the immune system, such as those taken after a transplant, may need checking as liver function changes
• Diabetes medicines may need adjusting, as blood sugar can drop
• Indigestion and stomach acid medicines (antacids, H2 blockers such as famotidine or cimetidine, and proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, esomeprazole or lansoprazole) can make velpatasvir work less well. Do not start one without asking your doctor or pharmacist, who will tell you how and when to take it.
• Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine you take, including medicines you buy, vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, supplement and herbal product you take.

Using it safely

• Take it only as your specialist team prescribes. Do not stop unless your doctor tells you to; completing the full course gives you the best chance of clearing the virus.
• Swallow the tablet whole, with or without food. Do not chew, crush or split it, as it tastes very bitter.
• Pellets for young children can be swallowed whole or sprinkled on soft food; follow the leaflet and the team's advice.
• If you are sick soon after taking it, check the leaflet or ask your pharmacist whether to take another dose.
• If you forget a dose, check the leaflet or ask your pharmacist what to do. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
• Go to all your blood tests before, during and after treatment. They show whether the treatment has worked.
• Your specialist will probably advise you to stop or cut down on alcohol.
• To avoid catching hepatitis C again, never share needles or other drug equipment, razors or toothbrushes, use condoms, and only have tattoos or piercings at licensed places.
• It should not affect your ability to drive.
• Keep it out of the sight and reach of children. Do not throw unused medicine into drains or household rubbish; return it to a pharmacy.

Common questions

Can sofosbuvir-velpatasvir cure hepatitis C?
Yes, for most people. WHO says modern direct-acting antiviral treatment cures more than 95 out of 100 people with hepatitis C. Blood tests after treatment show whether the virus has gone. If it has not, your specialist can offer another medicine.

Once I am cured, can I get hepatitis C again?
Yes. Being cured does not make you immune, and there is no vaccine. Keep avoiding contact with other people's blood, for example by never sharing needles, razors or toothbrushes.

Can I drink alcohol during treatment?
Your specialist is likely to advise you to avoid alcohol or cut down. Drinking regularly can make hepatitis C damage the liver sooner.

Why does my doctor ask about heart and stomach medicines?
The heart medicine amiodarone can slow the heartbeat dangerously when taken with this treatment. Indigestion medicines such as antacids and omeprazole can stop velpatasvir working properly. Your doctor or pharmacist will check all your medicines before you start.

Can I take it if I am pregnant?
Its effects in pregnancy are not known, so talk to your doctor first. If it is given with ribavirin, pregnancy must be avoided, because ribavirin can harm an unborn baby.

Prepared from the sources listed by the MedInfoBase team. General information, not medical advice: it gives no doses. Your doctor or pharmacist decides the medicine and dose for you.