Hepatitis C Management

Ask The Experts

Question:

What are the management strategies for HCV in a 7-year-old child?

Data concerning treatment outcomes in children are evolving. Clinical trials are underway to better define the issues associated with treating young children. Current data suggest that children tolerate therapy reasonably well, and their response may be better than that in older adults. Decisions about treating young children must be individualized.

Recently, the FDA has approved the use of pegylated interferon-2b in pediatric use. The Peds-C trial using pegylated interferon-2a has been completed and the data submitted to the FDA to obtain approval of this drug for pediatric use.

For more information, see the section on hepatitis C in Children in the Hepatitis C Management monograph.