| |
New NYC Co-infection Clinic: AIDS Center at Montefiore Hospital in Bronx, New York Initiates Hepatitis C Program
|
| |
| |
October 8, 2003
Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, NY announced their AIDS Center will receive a $1 Million grant from the New York State Department of Health to develop a program for care and cure of hepatitis C in patients with HIV.
Barry Zingman, MD, is the Medical Director at the Montefiore AIDS Center and the lead physician on the hepatitis C program, said "we are in the beginning stages of learning how to best care for HIV-infected people who also have hepatitis C. It is extremely important to establish a model for Hepatitis C care that can lead to cure of the infection whenever possible. There are many obstacles to curing hepatitis C; the new program is designed to address them.
The press release from Montefiore Hospital went on to say HCV is a chronic viral infection present in up to 90% of people living with HIV/AIDS. HCV, if untreated, may lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure, and is now responsible for a large proportion of deaths in patients with HIV.
Doctors at Montefiore AIDS Center will be using a multidisciplinary, coordinated approach to hepatitis C including addressing patient needs for education. substance abuse counseling, mental health care, and expert medical advice--all in one location at the Montefiore AIDS CEnter's outpatient facility, the Center For Positive Living. For those people who are ready for hepatitis C treatment, Montefiore AIDS Center doctors will be using a combination of Pegylated-Interferon, an immune stimulator and antiviral drug, and Ribavirin, a secind antiviral drug.
CONTACTS
Steven Osborne
Jeanette Moore
718 920-4011
Theresa Hawkins
Montefiore AIDS Center
718 920-5224
fax 718 405-0610
Montefiore Medical Center
111 East 210th St
Bronx, NY 10487-2490
|
| |
|
|
|
