Current therapies for chronic hepatitis C. Drug combination achieves sustained response in more than half of patients.

Treatment options for chronic HCV infection have evolved significantly over the last few years, and current therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin is effective in 50% to 60% of patients with previously untreated infection. Although there is some encouraging progress in new antiviral drug development for hepatitis C, it will be several years before any of these novel compounds are available in clinical practice. In the interim, pegylated interferon and ribavirin remain the cornerstone of therapy. Healthcare providers have an important role in educating and selecting appropriate patients for therapy, recognizing common side effects, establishing a team approach to the management of chronic HCV infection, and keeping abreast of changes in treatment guidelines.