Prison (Generic)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A federal court has ruled the Kentucky Department of Corrections can deny a life-saving hepatitis C medication for inmates because it's too expensive. 

Although there is no vaccine for HCV, in 2011 the FDA approved a new drug that cures nearly all HCV patients who take them, according to court documents. 

The treatment typically costs between $13,000 and $32,000. 

In a Tuesday ruling, the majority of the judges say denying the medicine does not violate an inmate's 8th or 14th Amendment rights. 

The Kentucky Department of Corrections estimates that out of its 12,000 inmates, around 1,200 currently have HCV. 

Copyright 2021 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.Â