Daclatasvir
Daclatasvir is an antiviral tablet used to treat chronic hepatitis C, taken once daily as part of a combination regimen. PockDose stocks it as 60mg Daklinza tablets.
What daclatasvir treats
Daclatasvir is an antiviral tablet for chronic hepatitis C, a long-term infection of the liver. It belongs to the NS5A inhibitors, a group of drugs that block a viral protein the hepatitis C virus needs in order to copy itself and package new virus particles. With that protein out of action, the amount of virus in the blood falls and the liver gets a chance to recover. Daclatasvir is not a solo treatment: it is taken with sofosbuvir, and sometimes with ribavirin as well. A course usually runs for 12 weeks, and 24 in some people whose liver is already scarred.
Taking the tablets
One 60mg tablet once a day is the standard dose. Swallow it whole with water. Food makes no difference, so it can sit with breakfast or between meals, and there is no need to time it around the sofosbuvir. What matters is keeping the level steady: choose a time you will not forget and stay with it for the whole course. Antivirals only do their job if they are taken right through to the end, so order a refill before the strip runs out.
Side effects
Headache and tiredness are the ones people notice most. Nausea, diarrhoea and trouble sleeping also turn up, usually in the first couple of weeks, and most of these ease off on their own. A severe allergic reaction is rare but urgent: swelling of the lips, face or throat, a spreading rash, or difficulty breathing needs emergency care straight away. People who also carry hepatitis B can see that infection reactivate while the hepatitis C is treated; jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), dark urine and pain under the right ribs call for urgent attention.
Medicines that clash
A few drugs clear daclatasvir from the body too fast, leaving too little to hold the virus down. Rifampicin, used for tuberculosis, is one; the epilepsy medicines carbamazepine and phenytoin, and the herbal remedy St John's wort, are others. None of them should be taken alongside daclatasvir. Some HIV treatments work the other way and push blood levels up, so the daily daclatasvir dose is lowered when they are part of the regimen.
What is sold
The daclatasvir product here is Daklinza, 60mg tablets, Daklinza being the brand name for the same ingredient. With one strength, a course is a single tablet a day and the main choice is the pack. For other hepatitis C antivirals, see the antivirals category. Tablets are best left in their blister strips rather than loose in a pill box, and kept out of hot cars and off sunny windowsills.
Sources
- Daclatasvir: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Hepatitis C Basics - CDC — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Is Daclatasvir available to order in Hong Kong?
Generic Daklinza, also sold as Daclatasvir tablets, can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. It comes as 60mg tablets. Every order ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about what is inside.
How much does Daclatasvir cost?
Prices vary between pack sizes. The product page lists its current prices in HKD or in the currency you choose.
Do I need a prescription to order Daclatasvir?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order daclatasvir. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What are the other names for daclatasvir?
Daklinza is a brand name of daclatasvir. Here, daclatasvir can be bought online as generic Daklinza. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does a course of daclatasvir last?
Twelve weeks is the usual course when daclatasvir is taken with sofosbuvir. Some people need 24 weeks — for example, when genotype 3 hepatitis C has already caused cirrhosis (scarring of the liver). The length is set at the start, and the tablets are taken every day until the course ends.
Does daclatasvir work on its own?
No. It is one part of a combination, normally with sofosbuvir and sometimes with ribavirin too. Each medicine acts on the virus at a separate stage of its life cycle, and used alone daclatasvir would not be enough to treat hepatitis C.
What happens if I miss a dose?
One late tablet will not undo the course. Take it when you notice, unless the next dose is only a few hours away, in which case carry on with the usual timing. Doubling up later does not make up the difference.
Can I drink alcohol with daclatasvir?
Alcohol does not change the amount of daclatasvir in your blood, so a drink will not stop the tablets working. It does add strain to a liver already inflamed by hepatitis C, and heavy drinking makes liver damage worse. Many people cut back or stop for the weeks of treatment.