? What treatments are available?
May 2003
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends a combination of Interferon and Ribavirin in the treatment of chronic HCV. This treatment is successful in clearing the virus (with no detectable virus 6 months after treatment has ceased) in up to 40 per cent of those treated.
The treatment generally lasts for 6 to 12 months and involves self-subcutaneous injection of Interferon Alpha 3 times a week, plus daily oral Ribavirin.
More recently available is Pegylated Interferon, which maintains therapeutic drug levels over a longer period, and is administered only once weekly. In combination with Ribavirin this appears to be more successful in clearing the virus than conventional Interferon and Ribavirin, with efficacy rates of around 55 per cent. [Pegylated Interferon is currently being considered by NICE.]
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