The purpose of this research study is to examine the safety and effectiveness of two medicines used together to treat hepatitis C infection. The medicines are Intron A (alpha interferon) and Ribavirin. Intron A is currently approved by the FDA for treatment of hepatitis C infection. Ribavirin is a type of anti-viral drug that is currently approved for use in other viral infections but has only recently been approved for use in hepatitis C. Ribavirin alone does not have any activity against the hepatitis C virus. Investigators in Italy found that the combination of alpha interferon and ribavirin resulted in a long-term response rate almost four times the typical rate seen for interferon alone. The doctors want to know whether combination therapy can lead to a loss of the hepatitis C virus and, if so, whether the virus-free state is maintained after treatment stops.
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