ABSTRACT
Chronic hepatitis C [CHC] is a major contributor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and major global public health problem that causes mortality in both developed and developing countries. For the past decade, treatment with pegylated interferon [peg interferon alpha] ribavirin [RBV] has been associated with rates of sustained virologic response of /= 800,000 IU/ml before starting treatment. "As-treated analysis" indicated that a total of 168 [77.8%] patients achieved sustained viral response [SVR, undetectable plasma HCV RNA 24 weeks after the last planned dose of study treatment]. This study, with a larger number of participants, confirms the results of a previous study by the authors that Pegaferon, a PEG-IFN alpha 2a locally produced in Iran, is effective in treatment-nave CHC patients