It also did not include information about patients who are incarcerated.
The researchers looked at "patients who are diagnosed and have insurance coverage, so in many ways [these] are the individuals who are set up to have the best access to care and treatment," Wester said on a media call Tuesday.Additionally, the data was not specific enough to describe why each person did not receive treatment.Because the study period overlapped with the Covid-19 pandemic, many people may have been less likely than normal to seek and receive treatment due to disruptions to care.
She added that treatment should be made available in more settings, like primary care offices, and that more testing needs to be done to identify people who could benefit from treatment.
Wurcel said she remembers the day the new treatments were approved.