ABSTRACT
New regimens consisting of pegylated interferons plus ribavirin may produce a sustained virologic response in more than 50% of cases of chronic hepatitis C. In contrast, the combination of standard interferon alfa and ribavirin, which was the standard of care until recently, produced a sustained virologic response in 35% to 40% of cases. As the efficacy of newer regimens improves, additional steps to adequately manage their side effects and maximize adherence may become crucial.
Footnotes
↵* The author has indicated that he has received grant or research support from the Roche and Schering-Plough corporations and is on the speakers’ bureaus of the Axcan Pharma, Roche, and Schering-Plough corporations. This paper discusses therapies that are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use under discussion.
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