There have been significant changes to Hepatitis C anti-viral treatment in recent years. Previously, the only treatment for Hep C infection was Interferon. Interferon-only treatment had varied and significant side effects for many people and its success rate was not good, with almost half the people treated with Interferon failing to respond. The good news is that treatment has improved in recent years. A combination therapy of Interferon and Ribavirin is now the standard treatment for Hep C; it has fewer and less severe side effects for most people and a much higher success rate. However, some people still experience significant side effects from Interferon and Ribavirin and many require intensive support during treatment.

Ribavirin has been shown to cause birth defects in animals. Therefore, combination therapy is not available to women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, and clients must commit to two forms of contraception, both during treatment and for six months afterwards.

Recent changes in eligibility criteria mean that current drug uses are no longer excluded from treatment. In addition, a liver biopsy is no longer a mandatory requirement for anti-viral treatment. Although treatment is not a viable option for all, by removing these sorts of barriers it is hoped that more people, and in particular more drug users, will consider the uptake of anti-viral treatment.

There are other treatments available to Hep C sufferers. These include: traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), homoeopathy, naturopathy and any other practice that promotes a holistic, body nurturing philosophy. While these alternative treatments cannot clear the virus, they may contribute in significant ways to learning to live with the virus and to a person's quality of life. Contact your local natural therapy centre or the Australian Complementary Therapy Association (see contact details at the end of this chapter) for information about treatments available in your area. Also see 'Complementary Therapies' in Chapter 7, Treatment Options.