The standard treatment for Hepatitis C in the UK is a course of therapy with two different drugs. This is usually referred to as Combination Therapy.

The two drugs are Interferon and Ribavirin which are both very similar to natural substances produced by the human body to fight viral infections. Originally, Interferon had to be given several times per week by injection, but a later version called Pegylated Interferon is now used, which only requires one injection per week. Ribavirin is taken in tablet form twice daily. A course of treatment usually lasts between 24 and 48 weeks, depending on the genotype of the virus being treated. Patients are usually trained to do their own injections.

Both of these drugs can have serious side effects, and close monitoring of how well the treatment is being tolerated is required. Regular blood tests are required to check for anemia and liver function. Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin are often known by their drug company names of Pegasys, Copegus, PegIntron and Rebetrol.

Success rates of current treatment are good (85%), apart from the more resistant genotypes (60%), and there is evidence to suggest that even unsuccessful treatment delays progression of the disease.