Catherine has been a Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at Christchurch Hospital, and also a Clinical Senior Lecturer for the University of Otago since 2005. She undertook medical training through the University of Otago and completed FRACP specialist training in both Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Clinical Pharmacology, followed by PhD studies in Molecular Pharmacology and Hepatology at the Storr Liver Unit, in Sydney Australia. She is currently actively involved in all aspects of clinical gastroenterology and has a strong interest in Hepatitis C new oral drug development. She has been principal investigator for over 40 clinical trials from phase 1 through to phase 3. She has been a significant contributor to several pivotal proof of concept interferon free trials for hepatitis C treatment over the past 5 years.
| Community/GP based screening and management of HBV and HCV
Concurrent Workshop Repeated |
|||
| Saturday, 14 June 2014 | Start 2:00pm | Duration: 55mins | Room 10 |
| Start 3:05pm | Duration: 55mins | Room 10 | |
| The majority of patients with viral hepatitis are asymptomatic for many years, and often do not present until they have late complications such as liver failure or liver cancer. GPs are the key health professional to identify patients at risk of viral hepatitis and offer testing to diagnose Hepatitis B and C, so that appropriate treatment can be offered to prevent life threatening complications. Case-based discussion will be used to help identify risk factors and also update GPs on new non-invasive methods of liver assessment for both hepatitis B and C, as well as a brief overview of the major changes towards interferon free treatment of hepatitis C. | |||
| Getting Rid of Hep C in 2014
Main Session |
|||
| Sunday, 15 June 2014 | Start 11:00am | Duration: 25mins | Baytrust |
| Management of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) is currently undergoing a significant change. Traditional interferon-based therapy has been limited by both poor efficacy and tolerability. However non-invasive liver assessment is now possible using fibroscan, so liver biopsy is seldom required. Many new direct acting antiviral drugs are emerging which allow high rates of cure in interferon-free regimens with few adverse effects, giving us potential to cure large numbers of these patients in the future. New Zealand has been at the forefront of many of these new developments. In view of the increasing cohort of people with liver failure and liver cancer as a long term hepatitis C it is vitally important that these patients are identified and offered treatment. | |||