With many Hepatitis C treatments on the market today, patients may ask which Hepatitis C treatment is right for me? What’s the difference between treatments?

All Hepatitis C treatment are not the same. Many share similar components such as treatment duration, side effects, and cure rates, but each one is formulated to target specific genotypes and liver conditions.

Currently in the U.S. as of April 2018, there are 10 treatments available for Hepatitis C.

To determine which treatment is best suited for each patient, tests and evaluations must be done by a physician before recommending treatment.

  • Genotype testing to determine virus strain (there are 6 genotypes with various subtypes)
  • Viral load to show how active the virus is
  • Tests to determine what stage of liver damage is present (damage can range from no damage to mild, or moderate damage (fibrosis), to severe scarring (cirrhosis either compenstated or decompensated condition)
  • Post liver transplant patients who did not receive treatment for Hep C prior to transplant
  • Medical condition of each patient
  • Medications patient is taking for other conditions. Including all vitamins, and supplements including herbals patients are taking
  • Age of patient: Child or Adult

 Currently there are 3 treatments for Hepatitis C that work on all genotypes.

Treatment for specific genotypes and liver conditions include: see each Hep C treatment medication for specific liver condition and treatment information.

  • Harvoni by Gilead Sciences: For genotypes 1a, 1b, 4, 5, 6 for Adults and Children with and without cirrhosis (compensated and decompensated).
  • Olysio and Sovaldi by Janssen for genotypes 1a, 1b.
  • Viekira Pak by AbbVie for genotypes 1a or 1b with or without cirrhosis
  • Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) by Gilead Sciences for genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4.  Used in combination with other Hep C medications like ribavirin and others. Sovaldi and Ribavirin also approved for children with genotype 2 or 3 without cirrhosis or with compensated (mild) cirrhosis.
  • Daklinza (daclatasvir) by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) for Genotype 3 and Genotype 1 for patients without cirrhosis, post transplant patients and patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.
  • Zepatier (elbasvir/grazoprevir) by Merck for Genotypes 1 and 4
  • Technivie (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, and ritonavir) by AbbVie for use in combination with ribavirin for Genotype 4

For more Hepatitis C Treatment Information: See Medical Information/New Hep C Treatment on Life Beyond Hep C.

Common Treatment Side Effects:

The most common side effects of all treatment: headache, and fatigue with some mild nausea and insomnia reported. Other side effects can possibly occur, see each specific treatment medication for information.

Treatment Duration:

Standard treatment time is generally 12 weeks. Some treatment can be done in 8 weeks or 24 weeks depending on genotype, liver condition, and viral load.

Cure Rate:

Cure rate for all Hepatitis treatment is generally 95% to 99%, depending on which treatment is used, liver condition, and genotype. See each treatment medication for specific information.

This entry was originally published on Life Beyond Hepatitis C on April 7, 2021 and is reprinted with permission.