The U.S. trial, published in today's New England Journal of Medicine, involved 912 patients from 44 sites. A third study, also published in today's NEJM, studied 345 patients with chronic hepatitis C who relapsed after treatment with interferon alone. Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is a chronic liver disease. Caused by a viral infection, it leads to an inflammation or swelling of the liver. Initially, the hepatitis C virus is asymptomatic, meaning there are virtually no symptoms to tell a person they have contracted the virus.
Most people continue to lead a normal life, unaware they have the virus.
Interferon alpha 2b became available in Canada in 1991. It is a synthetic version of a naturally-occurring human protein that fights off viruses. It works to slow down the damaging effects of the virus on the liver. Interferon alpha 2b is administered by injection three times a day for a period of up to 18 months. Side effects of this medication may include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, muscle aches, chills, diarrhea or stomach pain.