There is benefit associated with combination therapy and treatment can be cost-effective. It is appropriate to offer 6 months of combination therapy as first-line treatment to patients not previously treated with interferon and also to patients who have relapsed following a previous course of interferon. At 6 months, continuation of treatment should depend on factors that may predict a good sustained response. The rate of progression of hepatitis C is very slow and, at present, knowledge of the natural history of the disease is incomplete. There is uncertainty about the benefits of treating patients with mild disease and few or no symptoms.
Trials are underway.
The review brings together evidence on key aspects of the use of the technology concerned. However, appraisals and guidelines produced by NICE are informed by a wide range of sources. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the HTA Programme, NICE or the Department of Health. The editors wish to emphasise that funding and publication of this research by the NHS should not be taken as implicit support for any recommendations made by the authors. The editors and publisher have tried to ensure the accuracy of this report but do not accept liability for damages or losses arising from material published in this report.