Despite progress, Oklahoma's hepatitis C problem goes largely untreated in prisons

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections has made strides in hepatitis C treatment, but only a small number of prisoners with the virus have received drugs that could cure it.

The agency reported there were 3,118 inmates with hepatitis C in September. But since July 1, only 243 people — or about 8 percent — have received drugs that could cure the disease, according to data provided by DOC. Only those with the most severe infections are prioritized for treatment.

The problem, agency leaders say, is the high cost of the potentially life saving drugs, which are priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. DOC cannot afford to treat everyone who has the virus, officials say.

Hepatitis C treatment costs DOC between $13,200 to $62,000 for just one patient, according to data from the agency. From FY 2016 to FY 2019, DOC spent more than $2.5 million on the drugs.

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