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Are there any prescription treatments for hepatitis C?

Three prescription drugs are used to treat people with hepatitis C infections: interferon alfacon-1 (brand name Infergen), interferon alpha-2b (>Intron-A), and a combination of interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin (Rebetron). Interferon helps the body’s immune system fight the virus, and ribavirin is toxic to the virus.

Early in 2001, the FDA approved >PEG-Intron a pegylated interferon alfa-2b. It is a longer-acting form of Intron-A and is available as a once-weekly injection. PEG-Intron can be used alone or in combination with ribavirin to treat chronic hepatitis C. A recent study found that using PEG-Intron and ribavirin together worked better than PEG-Intron alone to control hepatitis C infection. Pegasys ,pegylated interferon alfa-2a, has also been recently approved. The current standard of care for Hepatitis C is a combination of either Peg – Intron or Pegasys with Rebetol (generic: ribavirin).

These medicines do not totally eliminate the infection, but they may lessen the liver damage caused by the virus. Studies show that 30-50 percent of people infected with hepatitis C respond to Rebetron, while only 15-20 percent of people respond to interferon alone. Because of this, Rebetron is often the first choice of treatment.

Depression is common in people with chronic liver disease and it is a side effect of interferon alpha. A recent study found that treatment with paroxetine (>Paxil) can reduce the depression caused by interferon alpha therapy.

Sources:
Chronic Hepatitis C: Current Disease Management. NIH Publication No. 99-4230, May 1999.
Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. Fourth Edition. Appleton & Lange, 1999.
The Pink Sheet. Schering PEG-Intron/Rebetol U.S. Filing Slated For First Quarter 2001.Vol. 63, No. 2 (2001).
Schering-Plough Press Release. “Schering-Plough Reports FDA Assigns Priority Review Status To PEG-Intron And Rebetol Application For Chronic Hepatitis C”. http://www.schering-plough.com/ Schering-Plough Corporation. 2001.Last accessed 4/4/01.
Siegel, Jay P. PEG-Intron Product Approval Information. FDA Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.fda.gov/cber/approvltr/pegsche011901L.htm. Last accessed 4/4/01.
Glue, P. “A Dose-Ranging Study of Pegylated Interferon alfa-2b and Ribavirin in Chronic Hepatitis C. The Hepatitis C Intervention Therapy Group”. Hepatology 32 (2000).
Musselman, DL. “Paroxetine for the Prevention of Depression Induced by High-Dose Interferon Alfa”. The New England Journal of Medicine 344 (2001).
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.
Hepatitis C. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis. CDC Last accessed 11/14/2006.
Diseases and Conditions. “Hepatitis C”. http://www.mayoclinic.com. Mayo Clinic Health. Last accessed 11/14/2006.

This answer prepared 4/13/2001.
This information updated 2/6/2007.

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