Accordinng to a study presented at the 38th annual Digestive Disease Week conference in Washington, D.C., pegylated interferon alfa-2a -- alone or in combination with ribavirin-- may cure hepatitis C, a blood-borne infectious disease of the liver affecting an estimated 4.4 million Americans. Left untreated, hepatitis C may lead to Cirrhosis, liver cancer and may necessitate liver transplants.

Nearly all -- 99 percent - of patients with hepatitis C who were treated successfully with peginterferon alone, or in combination with ribavirin, had no detectable virus up to seven years later. Researchers say this data validates the use of the word "cure" when describing hepatitis C treatment as successful treatment is defined as having undetectable hepatitis C virus in the blood six months following treatment.

This press release from the Virginia Commonwealth University also include three video clips:

Video Clip 1: "This long-term study shows that 99 percent of patients were cured of the hepatitis C virus."

Video Clip 2: "This study should encourage patients with hepatitis C to seek treatment if they haven't done so."

Video Clip 3: "The drugs are a one-two punch against the hepatitis C virus."