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Author Topic: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial  (Read 18536 times)

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Offline Kate101

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  • Posts: 18
Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« on: April 21, 2015, 01:03:43 pm »
I just saw the new Harvoni TV commercial and I am very frustrated. They say “side effects may include tiredness and headache”.  This is just not true for many of the people on this forum myself included. There is no way I could continue to work in a high pressured client facing roll. My brain is like scrambled eggs on an emotional roller coaster with all types of exasperated physical nagging going on.
 
I am not saying I would not have gladly taken anything they could have thrown at me to get rid of this disease but what does this tell your primary doctor, family and friends?  I need all the support I can get right now and am having a tough time. Who needs everyone to think you feel like going horseback riding or relaxing on a dock while life is beautiful. This is my goal not my reality.

I thought I was watching a Viagra commercial till it got to the end and nothing else was disclosed! I guess Harvoni is even better than the little blue pill.
 
What do you think?

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Offline Philadelphia

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 1,157
  • It only looks like I know what I'm doing
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2015, 05:30:26 pm »
Complete side issue here, but the first time I travelled to the states, I was both entertained and bewildered at the amount of drug advertising on tv. Here in Australia  direct-to-consumer advertising is not allowed. In fact did you know that of all the OECD countries, the only ones who allow it are NZ and the US?
Logged
CURED SVR24  Class of 2015
Wk 12 post EOT 30.11.15: ALT 14 AST 22 GGT 22 VL UND
Week 19 07.08.15: ALT 17 AST 23 GGT 25
Week 12 18.06.15: ALT 21 AST 23 GGT 28
Week 8 25.05.15: ALT 23 AST 27 GGT 30 VL UND
Week 4 20.04.14: ALT 30 AST 36 VL 40
Treatment start 23.03.15: ALT 137 AST 185 VL 342,600
Cirrhosis Child-Pugh A, Genotype 1a - Viekira Pak + riba 24 weeks
Total failure interferon/ribavirin/boceprovir Mar 2013
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/grace-campbell

Offline atomic dog

  • Member
  • Posts: 160
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2015, 06:20:41 pm »
I saw it, too. Probably not going to convince people to approach their insurance companies with a line like "Side effects may cause your brain to feel like scrambled eggs on an emotional roller coaster with all types of exasperated physical nagging going on." They go for the soft sell.
Logged
Infected 1969, dirty needle
Geno 1a
Stage 2 fib, some necrosis
TX naive
1/29/15 ALT61; AST43
2/16/15 Started Harvoni; VL 1.5 m;
2/19/15 ALT40; AST24
2/29/15 ALT29; AST25
3/9/15 ALT28; AST25; 
3/9/15 < 20 IU/mL (3 wks) HCV RNA remains 'detected'
3/24/15 ALT30; AST25;
3/24/15 <20 IU/mL (5 wks) HCV RNA
4/10/15 <20 IU/ml (7 weeks) HCV RNA
4/20/15 ALT36; AST27
4/20/15 UND
5/11/15 UND (EOT); ALT33; AST25
6/11/15 UND; ALT 34; AST 29
8/14/15 UND
11/15/15 SVR, 24-wk EOT

Offline dragonslayer

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  • Posts: 873
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2015, 06:25:05 pm »
Kate, Im not diminishing the sides you and others seem to be experiencing, but lets keep things in perspective..  I believe there are many more patients who consider this drug a walk in the park.. What would you have them say in this commercial?   The sides theyre reporting are those found in the trials... I believe most patients are experiencing sides roughly proportional to those reported there.   
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Paul

DX 2008
Started Harvoni 11/26/14 for 8 wks
Completed 8 wks Harvoni 01/20/15
EOT RNA Quant result:  Detected 29
7.5 wk post tx: Detected < LLOQ(12)
11 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR12
24 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR24; AST 26; ALT 22; ALP 73
48 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR48; AST 18; ALT 18; ALP 70
GT 1a
vl 2.4mil
2008 bpx: Stage&Grade 0
2013 bpx: Stage&Grade: 0-1
IL28B: TT
likely infected early '70s

Offline Kate101

  • Member
  • Posts: 18
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2015, 06:37:34 pm »
I would try it no matter what they said with the 90-9?% cure rate but it sounds like a walk in the park. I was forewarned about the old treatment.
I have to tell everyone I am doing just fine! What else can you say?
It was just the first thing I saw this morning. arguh
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Offline dragonslayer

  • Member
  • Posts: 873
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2015, 06:48:51 pm »
Quote from: Kate101 on April 21, 2015, 06:37:34 pm
I would try it no matter what they said with the 90-9?% cure rate but it sounds like a walk in the park. I was forewarned about the old treatment.
I have to tell everyone I am doing just fine! What else can you say?
It was just the first thing I saw this morning. arguh

Many, many of us have found it to be just that: 'a walk in the park'.   Considering how few are suffering from sides, I think its important to get the word out there that this is a med that should be taken, not shunned.. Its not Interferon or Ribavirin!  People in need of treatment dont need to be scared away because of sides that a relatively small number of users are experiencing.. Dont get me wrong.. To those who are unfortunate enough to be experiencing them, its a big deal; not a disqualifier, but a big deal. . But for the majority, this is a cake walk.
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Paul

DX 2008
Started Harvoni 11/26/14 for 8 wks
Completed 8 wks Harvoni 01/20/15
EOT RNA Quant result:  Detected 29
7.5 wk post tx: Detected < LLOQ(12)
11 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR12
24 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR24; AST 26; ALT 22; ALP 73
48 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR48; AST 18; ALT 18; ALP 70
GT 1a
vl 2.4mil
2008 bpx: Stage&Grade 0
2013 bpx: Stage&Grade: 0-1
IL28B: TT
likely infected early '70s

Offline sapphire101

  • Member
  • Posts: 238
  • "Stop worrying and start living"
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2015, 11:52:10 pm »
@Philadelphia no direct to consumer advertising except us and New Zealand? I learn so much on this forum. What is OECD?


Two of my favorite Sci Fi movies 'Minority Report' and 'Children of Men' have side stories about all the medical advertising. They are both fairly recent movies and yet at the time it seemed out of control to have the barrage of direct personal advertising and now here we are with this very thing going on. Of course no advertisers using retinal scans ....yet.


@kate101 maybe the next Harvoni ad can feature the couple in the two bathtubs side by side. That one always makes me laugh.
Logged
Sapphire101
Genotype 1a Fibrosis level 1
Viekira Pak with ribavirin 12 weeks
Pre treatment  VL  1.7 million, AST 45 ALT 65
EOT VL not detected, AST 21 ALT 21
12 week SVR not detected,24 week SVR not detected.
Cured! Class of 2015

Offline Philadelphia

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  • Posts: 1,157
  • It only looks like I know what I'm doing
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2015, 12:33:24 am »
OECD = Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

There are currently 34 countries in the OECD. Your country is one, mine is another. Places like the UK, Finland, Canada, Denmark, most of the European countries, Japan, South Korea etc.
"The OECD defines itself as a forum of countries committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a setting to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices, and co-ordinate domestic and international policies"
Logged
CURED SVR24  Class of 2015
Wk 12 post EOT 30.11.15: ALT 14 AST 22 GGT 22 VL UND
Week 19 07.08.15: ALT 17 AST 23 GGT 25
Week 12 18.06.15: ALT 21 AST 23 GGT 28
Week 8 25.05.15: ALT 23 AST 27 GGT 30 VL UND
Week 4 20.04.14: ALT 30 AST 36 VL 40
Treatment start 23.03.15: ALT 137 AST 185 VL 342,600
Cirrhosis Child-Pugh A, Genotype 1a - Viekira Pak + riba 24 weeks
Total failure interferon/ribavirin/boceprovir Mar 2013
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/grace-campbell

Offline Kate101

  • Member
  • Posts: 18
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2015, 12:50:03 am »
I read somewhere the our Government i.e. Medicare & Medicaid is the only country or insurer that does not negotiate with the drug companies over the price. We just give them what they want no questions asked! That is why most things are cheaper overseas and many countries wait on the FDA to do the work.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Kate101
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Offline Philadelphia

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  • Member
  • Posts: 1,157
  • It only looks like I know what I'm doing
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2015, 01:06:01 am »
I'm not sure how your system works.

Over here we have pretty much free or low cost universal health coverage. It'll cover you for everything but things like plastic surgery and optional surgery. You may have to go on a waiting list to get surgery though. Of course, anything life threatening or serious is bumped up. Some people take out additional private health cover which allows you to skip the waiting list by being treated as a private patient.

Our pharmaceuticals are covered by the PBS, which provides access to drugs at a discounted rate. All pathology is covered.

The down side is that we are often years behind cutting edge treatments, because we have to wait for the government to approve the addition of the drugs onto the PBS.
Logged
CURED SVR24  Class of 2015
Wk 12 post EOT 30.11.15: ALT 14 AST 22 GGT 22 VL UND
Week 19 07.08.15: ALT 17 AST 23 GGT 25
Week 12 18.06.15: ALT 21 AST 23 GGT 28
Week 8 25.05.15: ALT 23 AST 27 GGT 30 VL UND
Week 4 20.04.14: ALT 30 AST 36 VL 40
Treatment start 23.03.15: ALT 137 AST 185 VL 342,600
Cirrhosis Child-Pugh A, Genotype 1a - Viekira Pak + riba 24 weeks
Total failure interferon/ribavirin/boceprovir Mar 2013
https://www.hepmag.com/blogger/grace-campbell

Offline Lynn K

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  • Member
  • Posts: 4,543
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2015, 04:07:45 am »
I remember some years ago cigarettes were allowed on TV and drugs were not allowed.

http://www.commercialalert.org/news/archive/2006/10/ten-years-later-direct-to-consumer-drug-advertising

 October 1st, 2006
Ten Years Later: Direct to Consumer Drug Advertising

Launched by 1996 Claritin Spot, $4 Billion Category Still Under Fire

for a little history almost 20 years now
Logged
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline Bituman

  • Member
  • Posts: 157
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2015, 09:30:28 am »
Quote from: Kate101 on April 21, 2015, 01:03:43 pm

I thought I was watching a Viagra commercial till it got to the end and nothing else was disclosed! I guess Harvoni is even better than the little blue pill.
 
What do you think?

Too funny Kate.  I saw the commercial for the first time and commented to my wife, "I feel like I just watched a Viagara commercial."  The actors are all really good looking older people who were probably models 30 years ago!  Maybe somebody could come up with a Viagara-Harvoni combo, sort of a 2-fer.   Save money on advertising by using the same actors.  "If you experience a headache lasting for more than four hours, immediately seek a glass of water..."

My wife's take on the commercial was that compared to all the other drugs being advertised on TV, Harvoni is reporting way fewer really serious side effects. 

Bob
Logged
Age = 59, male, infected likely 1975
DX 07/07 GT 1a
Biopsy 2007:  GR 1, stage 0, HAI = 2/18
Since 2007:  1.48 MM < VL < 11 MM, avg = 5.64 MM
IL28B=CT
1/26/15, AST=43, ALT=55, VL=3.59 MM
2/5 Start Harvoni 12 weeks; Treat naive
2/20 AST=29, ALT=24, VL=59
3/6 AST=29, ALT=25, VL<15
3/19 AST=24, ALT=22, VL=undet
4/3 AST=29, ALT=25, VL=undet
4/30 EOT, AST=22, ALT=20, VL=undet
5/29 EOT+4, AST=20, ALT=19, VL=undet SVR
7/24 EOT+12, AST=23, ALT=18, VL=undet SVR
10/16 EOT+24, AST=22, ALT=17, VL=undet SVR

Offline SIXFOOTFOUR

  • Member
  • Posts: 89
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2015, 11:41:49 am »
I saw the commercial for the first time last night and thought it was well done and Im glad that they are getting the word out there. There are so many Hep C + people that dont know they are infected and then for many of us when we found out we were offered the old treatment combo with a lot of side effects and a less than 50% success rate. Which I was advised to turn down and wait due to other medical problem my doctors did not think I would tolerate it well and i knew I would not be able to work, so i waited.

I did not find out I was positive until the early 2000s but had been infected in 1971 with a blood transfusion that at that time caused non A non b hep and I had jaundice for 2 weeks while in the hospital.

If I had not had an appointment for a physical in jan I would not have known that Harvoni had been approved an i could get started. otherwise  I probably would not have known about it until after seeing the commercial yesterday.

For me it has been a walk in the park, minimal side effects (light headache and light nausea once in awhile). im starting my 60th pill so only 24 pills/days to go! From what i read on other forums as well many more users have minimal side effects than those that have bad side effects.
Logged
Sixfootfour
* Contracted Hep C 1971 post transfusion (non A - non
   B Hep dx in 1971)
* Dx as Hep C early 2000
* Geno 1b
* Stage 3-4 Fibrosis by Biopsy and FibroScan
* VL at start of TX > 6 mil
* ALT/AST High normal range at start of Tx 
* Started Harvoni 12 week course 3/6/15 -
   completion 5/29/15
* Undetected at 6 weeks on Tx
* ALT/AST Mid normal range at 6 week blood test
* Completed 12 weeks (84 pills) 6/28/15
* Undetected at 11 weeks & 6 months EOT

Offline debham

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  • Posts: 68
Re: Viagra vs Harvoni Commercial
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2015, 03:01:07 pm »
I'm amazed how very few side effects I have. I usually can't take most drugs due to how my body reacts to them. I'm pleased with being tired having headaches I've done a few brain scrambled things since I started this drug but I shrug it off to being a blonde. Never thought of it being Harvoni. I'm happy to see them advertising this drug. Everyone needs to be cured. Even the ones whom do not know they have it.   Just my thoughts.   Deb
Logged
Diagnosed 2003
VL 300,000
Geno type 1 a
Start TX 4/01/15
VL 2.3 million
Tx Naive
12 wk Tx
Harvoni
Last Ultra Sound
No presents of fibrosis
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