CURE Media Group Launches Website Focused on Hepatitis C

PLAINSBORO, N.J. (July 15, 2015) — CURE Media Group, the oncology community’s top source for patient-focused information and inspiration, is expanding its outreach to patients and caregivers in the hepatitis C community with the launch of its CURE Hepatitis C website: http://hepatitis-c.curetoday.com.

The new CURE Hepatitis C website brings CURE’s renowned, award-winning quality of information to a new patient community, providing news and information about breakthrough treatments and access to care to the nearly 3 million patients with hepatitis C in the U.S. and the nearly 150 million worldwide.

“Our CURE Hepatitis C website is dedicated to helping patients find the best treatment options and connect with others dealing with similar challenges,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president of Intellisphere Oncology and Healthcare Specialty Group, part of the Plainsboro, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH) family of businesses. “At CURE we strive to educate and support patients and their loved ones, providing the tools they need to take an active role in the fight against hepatitis C.”

The hepatitis C virus can cause both acute and chronic infections, ranging from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious lifelong illness linked to liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver and liver transplants. Approximately 2.7 million persons in the U.S. suffer from chronic infection, with between 130 million and 150 million infected worldwide, according to national and global health organizations. Out of every 100 patients infected with the hepatitis C virus, between 1 and 5 will die from complications of the infection.

Today, new medicines are providing hope and positive outcomes for many patients with hepatitis C, with cure rates of greater than 90 percent, according to Davy James, managing editor of the CURE Hepatitis C website and magazine. Since 2012, groundbreaking treatments for hepatitis C offering high cure rates, limited side effects and shorter treatment durations have been emerging. While cure rates for older drugs hovered at only 40 to 50 percent, new treatments practically guarantee cure with a 12-week regimen. However, some patients and caregivers remain unaware of these options.

An exclusive video interview posted on the CURE Hepatitis C website features Michael Sofia, Ph.D., developer of sofosbuvir, one of the new therapies changing lives of patients with hepatitis C. In the interview, he advocates for making these lifesaving treatments universally available. “There should not be any limited access to treatments,” Dr. Sofia states. “Patients…should have access to the drugs they need to cure their disease as soon as possible.”

CURE Hepatitis C’s outreach is multi-faceted. The new website features articles exploring cutting-edge science, patient quality of life and access to therapies, along with video interviews, personal stories and links to specially selected resources. In addition, CURE Media Group is introducing the CURE Hepatitis C quarterly journal, a new magazine highlighting the personal stories of patients and the hope that new treatment options bring. Soon, patients will be invited to share their own stories on the website.

“Keeping up with new therapies and scientific developments is critical to improving patient outcomes,” said James. “This is a rapidly changing area of medicine, and our new website provides patients and caregivers with a forum for learning about and discussing the latest treatment options.”

CURE Media Group is proud to be joined in this outreach and education effort by its strategic patient advocacy partners, the Hepatitis C Association (http://www.hepcassoc.org), Hepatitis Central (http://www.hepatitiscentral.com), and Caring Ambassadors (http://caringambassadors.org).

About CURE Media Group

CURE Media Group’s flagship product, CURE^® magazine, is the indispensable guide to every stage of the cancer experience. With nearly 1 million readers, CURE is the largest consumer publication in the United States focused entirely on cancer, with broad distribution to cancer patients, cancer centers and advocacy groups. Through the magazine, live meetings, a resource guide for the newly diagnosed, the Extraordinary Healer™ national nursing award, and other books and online tools, CURE Media Group combines science and humanity to make cancer — and now hepatitis C through the CURE Hepatitis C website and magazine – understandable. CURE Media Group is part of the Plainsboro, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH) family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive^® (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit http://www.curetoday.com or http://www.mjhassoc.com.

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Media Contact for CURE: Becky Taylor, 609-240-6886, becky@btaylorpa.com