KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — A United States district court judge has ordered the Florida Department of Corrections to provide Hepatitis C treatment for all inmates infected with the virus.
Huffington Post reported that Justice Mark Walker denounced last Thursday Florida’s “long and sordid history of neglecting” inmates with hepatitis C, a viral infection that can cause liver damage, liver cancer, and even death if it is not treated.
“We are in receipt of the judge’s order and will thoroughly review,” the Florida Department of Corrections told Huffington Post.
The Florida Department of Corrections had reportedly refused to treat inmates infected with Hepatitis C because the medicine was too expensive.
The judge’s order came after the Florida Justice Institute filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of three inmates in 2017.
Prisons across the US have reportedly failed to treat at least 144,000 inmates with Hepatitis C, with most states citing high drug prices. A single course of Hepatitis C treatment can cost US$90,000.
