What treatment is available for hepatitis C?
Interferons (Intron A®, Roferon®, Infergen®), pegylated interferons (Peg-Intron®, Pegasys®), and ribavirin (Rebetol®, Copegus®) currently are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. The current standard of treatment for hepatitis C is the combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Interferon is an immune-boosting drug that works by protecting healthy liver cells and preventing the hepatitis C virus from multiplying. Pegylated interferon is a new formulation that stays active in the blood for a longer period of time. That means patients would not have to give themselves as many injections as they would on non-pegylated interferon. Patients taking interferon and pegylated interferon may experience side effects, such as flu-like symptoms, headaches, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and thinning of hair. Ribavirin is an antiviral medication that prevents the virus from multiplying. Ribavirin is available as a c
