Supreme Court passes on hearing hepatitis C prisoner treatment case out of Tennessee
The US Supreme Court has passed on hearing an appeal from a Tennessee court ruling that determined state corrections officials had the ability to ration hepatitis C drugs.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Nashville issued a 2-1 decision in favor of the Department of Corrections process of prioritizing those life-saving treatments for the sickest patients.
The court heard from ETSU infectious disease specialist Dr. Zhiqiang Yao who said the medicines, that average $17,000 per prisoner, were needed but understood the rationing process because of similar measures he took while working for the Veteran’s Administration.
(IMAGE: ST929 Archives)
